


Prom Night

by Chowy



Series: Falling In Love With You [2]
Category: Phineas and Ferb
Genre: Angst, Butterflies, Coming Out, Coming out at prom, Depression, F/M, Fluff, Hurt and comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Incest, M/M, Past attempt of suicide, Phinerb, Prom, Prom Night, Promposal, coming out story, getting over depression, mentions of suicide and self-harm, past self-harm, phinferb, unexpected relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2018-10-26 18:25:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10792218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chowy/pseuds/Chowy
Summary: "Prom..where people make major statements..."Coming out would never be easy. Especially when the person you're coming out with is your step-brother.It had been a year since Rick had stayed in the Flynn-Fletcher house.  Still famous for the story of that summer, both Phineas and Ferb are still the talk of the town and the long story of what had happened.However, that's the least of their worries. Senior prom is coming up, and not only do they have that to worry about, but the relationship between them is growing stronger, and no one knows about it. It's especially trouble-some when a crush of 17 years asks you to prom.





	1. The Outside Of a Closet

He had spent five dollars and got three tries. Phineas stood on the sideline, watching with a smile over his face. 

He had commented on how cute a stuffed dog looked, and that was what triggered Ferb to get his wallet out. 

The object of the carnival game was to hit three bottles off a table. Completely off. 

"I can do it Phineas," Ferb said. He took a baseball out of the basket and threw it at the bottles. He missed. 

"Are you sure?" Phineas asked with a small laugh. 

"Warm up," Ferb said. He threw another. He missed. 

"Ferb-"

"It's all about little adjustments Phineas."

He threw again, and knocked the bottles off. 

"Wow," the vendor said. "Tenth winner today, pick anything off the top shelf." 

"You want the fluffy dog?" Ferb asked. Phineas was smiling, pressing close to Ferb. 

"Yeah..." Phineas said. 

"Fluffy pink dog," Ferb said. The vendor nodded and got the dog off the shelf, hanging it to Phineas. 

"Treat your guy nice now," the vendor said as they walked away. The dog hung loosely in Phineas's arms, Ferb's arm wrapped around him. 

"Thanks for the stuffed animal," Phineas said. Ferb smiled. He let go of Phineas as they walked out of the amusement park. That night had marked one year together, which of course no one knew about. As far as everyone was concerned, they were just two brothers at a fair together. 

"There you two are!" Candace said, standing beside Jeremy outside the entrance. "We've been waiting for five minutes!" 

"Sorry, Ferb won me a dog," Phineas said.  
"How much did that cost? Thirty dollars?" Candace asked with a sarcastic smile. 

"Well actually-"

"I'm kidding Phineas," Candace said. 

"Are we ready?" Jeremy asked as he swung his keys on his finger. 

"Yup," Phineas said. 

~~~

"Don't do anything too productive," Candace said as she parted ways with the two brothers to head to her room. She was spending a week with Jeremy in Danville, she stayed in her room during the night, which still had many of her childhood things within it.

"Don't count on it, night Candace!" Phineas said. 

"Night," she said, and she went to her room.

 

Ferb shut the door behind them as Phineas tossed the dog onto his bed. He crashed onto his bed, letting out a long yawn. 

"Not tired yet are we?" Ferb asked as he slid up beside him, laying next to him. "I wanted to do some more things."

"And what would those things be?" Phineas asked with an amused smile. Ferb ran a hand under Phineas's shirt and rubbed his abdomen. "Grownup things,"

"Care to give an example?" Phineas asked with a flirtatious look in his eyes. Ferb grinned. 

"Gladly."

He kissed Phineas, running his hand over Phineas's hair. 

When he let go, he stared into Phineas's blue eyes. 

"We can't really...Candace is here..." 

"She went to sleep, we won't do anything noisy I promise..." Ferb said. 

"I want to Ferb, but what if..."

He stared into Ferb's wanting eyes. 

"Alright...but be quiet."

Ferb grinned even wider and kissed him lustrously, slowly finding his way on top of him. He leaned against his arm for support, pressing himself close to Phineas and pushing his tongue into his mouth.

Phineas responded with nibbling on his tongue as it explored his mouth, his eyes closed as his leg wrapped around Ferb's leg.

Ferb slowly rose so he was properly over Phineas, his hands on either side of him. He broke the kiss to breath. 

Phineas's arms slowly wrapped around Ferb's neck, looking up at him passionately. 

"I love you..."

"I love you too..." Ferb muttered, and he kissed him again. Phineas's hand found it's way to Ferb's hair, running his fingers over every single strand.

Ferb let go and slowly began to leave a trail of light kisses down towards Phineas's jawline, focusing finally on his neck, which he nibbled on lightly as he ran his tongue over it. 

"D-don't leave a mark..." Phineas whispered. He felt his face light up as Ferb looked down at him, his lips gleaming with saliva. 

"Are you going to do anything rough? I'm not a flower, I can take-"

Phineas was stopped by a rough kiss, and a tongue yet again being sharply shoved down his throat. He nibbled harder, trying to show he wanted something rougher.

Ferb broke away, "I can't really do anything else...too much noise." 

"You know I'm usually quiet-"

"I mean," Ferb said. "The floorboards squeak and so does the bed."

"Oh...right," Phineas said. "Kissing's good." 

"I'm sorry love."

"It''s okay! Kissing's great! We can kiss all night if you want," Phineas said. 

Ferb kissed him again, and Phineas tugged lightly on the collar of his shirt. 

"Hey guys, do you have a-"

Ferb quickly shot off of Phineas, sitting up quickly. Phineas sat up immediately, rubbing the back of his neck.

Candace stood in the doorway, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. She shut her jaw, and then opened it again. No, there was no way, there was no way...she couldn't have just seen that. Her two little brothers, kissing. She tried to shut her jaw, but she was frozen, staring at the two teenagers. 

"Oh hey Candace!" Phineas said, looking at her as though he hadn't just been kissing his brother. His face was a mottled red. "Did you need something?"

"Phineas....Ferb...what the...?" Candace asked. "What the hell?!"

"What sis?" Phineas asked, giving her a concerned look.

"Don't play dumb Phineas," Candace said. "Why the hell...you were kissing Ferb!"

"Candace..." Ferb said, slowly standing and walking over to her. "We need to have a talk."

"We need to have more than a talk! We need to have a full-out discussion! What the hell was happening?!" Candace asked.

"Candace calm down...you're saying hell so much it may rise to earth," Phineas said as Ferb led her over to them, sitting her down and sitting beside Phineas on the bed they had been kissing on.

"I'm not gonna calm down! You two were kissing! In fact...you looked like you were doing even more than that...you look like you were swallowing each other!" Candace said.

"Candace...Ferb and I are in a relationship," Phineas said. "We have been for a long time...since last year. It began during the whole Rick incident. Ferb took care of me and I just...I fell in love with him..."

"He's your brother Phineas," Candace said. "Your step-brother." 

"We know that," Ferb said, slowly grabbing Phineas's hand and giving it a small squeeze. "We've taken that into consideration. Why do you think we didn't tell you, or anyone for that matter?" 

Candace didn't reply, she just rubbed her forehead. 

"We're happy together Candace..." Phineas said. "I know...it's weird and all, but you have to understand...Ferb was what got me out of bed in the morning back then...he was the last thing I thought about when I went to sleep..and he SAVED me Candace. He saved me from dying, he saved me from a lot...I wouldn't be here without him." 

Candace was more calm now, composing herself. "Phineas...Ferb...you know this is a big deal right? That this is way bigger than anything you've ever done?"

"Of course Candace, we're treating it with the care it deserves," Ferb said. "We're not just doing this since we're lusting teenagers, we're considering everything...bloody hell the only reason we were kissing is because I wanted to, which was a mistake."

"Candace, it's okay if you're disgusted with us or anything like that...but please don't tell anyone," Phineas said. His breathing was getting much more labored, he leaned against Ferb and placed a hand over his chest, trying to regulate his breathing. 

"Of course I'm not disgusted Phineas," Candace said. "I'm just...shocked and confused. Go calm down...we'll continue this talk once you get back." 

Phineas slowly stood and began to walk towards the bathroom to get his inhaler, which helped in a small sense. He also took other medications, such as a lung relaxer and a few other medicines.

"I thought him and Isabella were going to get together, didn't we see that in the future?" Candace asked, laying back and putting her hands over her face.

"Well...we did. But the future isn't certain, it's a factor that can be changed constantly. Besides, that was probably one of many possible futures, Ever hear of the alternate universe theory? In my head, it works something like that," Ferb said. "But there's no way to be certain."

Phineas slowly came back into the room. His breathing was much more relaxed, but he still took heavy breaths. 

"Okay...okay...so Phineas fell in love with Ferb and you've been together for a year. Are you ever going to tell mom and dad?" Candace asked.

"Maybe..." Phineas said. "Once they're ready."

Candace sighed, rubbing her face. "Okay...I don't really get it...but okay. And you don't want me to tell mom or dad." 

"We know it's going to be hard for you," Ferb said.

"Hey," Candace said with a small smile. "Some secrets I can keep." 

"Thank you Candace..." Phineas said with a small sigh of relief. 

"I'm still a little confused on this whole thing...like how did you fall in love with Ferb? He's your brother, don't you see him in that way?" Candace asked.

"Well...of course. And Ferb thinks the same of me. But I just..." Phineas couldn't continue. 

"Love is strange Candace," Ferb said. "It acts in mysterious ways and can't be explained by science. I-I can't explain why I love Phineas...or how. I just do, I love him and I fall in love with him more every day," Ferb said. His gaze shifted from Candace to Phineas, who was smiling at him. 

"Do you mean that Ferb?"

"Of course."

Candace sighed as she listened to them. She may not understand it, but hearing them talk, listening to Ferb speak like that about Phineas and his love for him, she could learn to cope with it, and then MAYBE understand it. 

"Alright, alright, don't need to get all sappy on me," Candace said. "You have my word. I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you Candace," Phineas said. She nodded and stood up, stretching. "Well, that's enough emotions for tonight. I'm tired, and I can't even remember what I came in here for," she said. "You guys heading to bed? Or are you going to..."

"I don't know, what do you think Ferb," Phineas asked, looking to his brother. 

"I think I have something in mind..." Ferb said, running his hand over Phineas's face. 

"Oh my gosh..." Candace said with a small laugh. "Alright then, but keep it down, I'm going to be sleeping."

"Of course Candace," Ferb said. 

"Night guys," she said, and she headed out. 

"Goodnight Candace!" Phineas said. 

"Night Candace," Ferb said. She left the room.


	2. A Week Gone

The air was cooler, and the door was shut. That morning was hot, but their room was dark from the shut windows and filled with the hum on the air conditioner. Ferb awoke before him, shirtless and above the covers, but despite this he was still warmed. 

Mainly due to Phineas sleeping on his chest on top of him, arms wrapped around his chest and his nose pushed into the crevice of Ferb's neck. 

He rubbed Phineas's back, the thin fabric of Phineas's shirt soft against his fingers. 

He took this moment in with a smile. It was such a perfect moment, the love of his life fast asleep against him, the room quiet and no one in the house needed them. He could stay like that forever. 

He stayed like that for some time, enjoying the pure moment. 

Phineas stirred lightly, yawning and looking up at Ferb with heavy eyes, a smile over his face when his eyes met Ferb's. 

"Hey," Ferb said. "Morning sleepyhead."

"Morning..." Phineas said, and he yawned. He pushed himself against Ferb's chest, shutting his eyes again. "What time is it...?"

"Around eight," Ferb said. 

"What day is it?" Phineas asked.

"Sunday," Ferb said.

"I have to go tomorrow..." Phineas said. "Drum major academy..." 

"Oh yeah...totally forgot you're drum major..." Ferb said. 

"Yup...what will you do while I'm gone?" Phineas asked.

"I'll think of something," Ferb said. He ran his fingers down Phineas's body to rest just on his upper thigh.

"I'm going to miss you," Phineas said. 

"It's just for a few days, you'll be fine."

Phineas smiled and slowly moved away. "I have to pack."

~~~

Whilst Phineas packed. Ferb changed into jeans and a t-shirt and went downstairs and to the garage. He went to a tarp, grabbing it and taking it off. 

It was an older car, a 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible. It was broken, missing an engine and bolts and leaking oil and god knows what else. Really it was a project he worked on when he was inspired, or didn't feel like pulling out original blueprints or wanted to just get his hands dirty. 

Quite literally too, he'd be underneath and it would suddenly start leaking fluid on him. It was gross, but he didn't care. 

He laid back on a creeper and rolled under the car, examining what he was going to work on that morning. He found a spot that was greased with old oil, oil still dripping from it. It dripped onto his shirt, he sighed. 

He rolled back out from under the car and grabbed his toolbox from the shelves, stopping in his tracks when he heard something fall. He turned. 

His dad had put his old cassette tape behind his toolbox, it had fallen forward when the toolbox wasn't there anymore. He picked it up and looked at it. It was unlabeled, all it said was his dad's name in case it got lost. 

He went to the old radio on the floor and turned it on, putting the cassette tape into it. 

It began to play an old song from the 80s, Love Handel and Lindanna and other famous pop and rock songs from back then.

He smiled. "Oh dad..." 

He fell back against the creeper again and rolled under the car with his wrench. He slowly began to unbolt different parts, trying to get to what was leaking. He took one part away, and suddenly a splash of oil was on him. 

"Damn it..."

~~~

Phineas slowly went downstairs, holding a luggage bag. He dropped it by the front door and walked towards the kitchen. Candace was siting at the table next to their dad, sipping coffee and talking into the kitchen with their mom. 

Perry slowly got up and walked towards Phineas, resting against his legs. Phineas knelt down and petted him before moving forward.

"Morning Phineas," his dad said. 

"Morning, have you guys seen Ferb? He said he was going downstairs and I can't find him," Phineas said. 

"He went out into the garage," his mom said from the kitchen. "Tell him to turn the music down, I can hear it through the walls."

"Thanks!" Phineas said. He went into the garage, surprised when he heard loud music from the 80s blaring through the garage. He covered his ears and began to look for the green-haired Brit.

"Ferb?! Ferb!" He called. He saw the tarp had been moved. He assumed the tarp had been on of dad's untouched projects, but it was gone. 

He went towards it and sure enough there was Ferb under the car. He looked down at him with an amused smile, kicking the creeper lightly.

Ferb rolled out from underneath it, confused at who kicked him, but then smiling up at Phineas. He had oil over his shirt and a bit on his neck, his fingers smeared with black grease. He held his wrench in his mouth. 

"Hey!" Phineas yelled.

Ferb took the wrench out of his mouth. "Hey!"

"Turn the music down!" Phineas yelled. 

"What?!" Ferb asked.

"Turn the music down!"

"I can't hear you!" Ferb said as he got up, putting the wrench in the tool box. "The music is too loud!"

The song ended, and a familiar guitar strum came from the next song.

"Hey! We know this song!" Ferb said as he turned the music down enough so yelling wasn't needed anymore. 

Phineas rolled his eyes. "Love Handel? Why are you listening to 80s music?"

"It's dad's," Ferb said. He wiped his fingers on a yellow rag and then walked back towards Phineas. He took Phineas's hands and kissed the one. "May I have this dance sir?"

"You have motor oil and sweat all over you," Phineas said. Ferb looked down at his messy sweat and oil stained shirt.

"Simply the cologne of an inventor," Ferb said. Phineas smiled as he slowly wrapped his arms over Ferb's shoulders. "You're lucky I like that smell."

Ferb's hands locked behind Phineas's waist, his hips slowly swaying. "I am lucky." Phineas grinned and looked down, pressing his forehead to Ferb's chest.

"This is so cliché," Phineas said. 

"Well, it's like we're in a love story," Ferb said. "Besides, you love the cliché stuff we do." 

"Yeah...maybe I do..." Phineas said, looking back up at him and slowly moving his one hand down to lay on Ferb's chest.

"I'm going to miss you this week..." Phineas said. Ferb slowly travelled his arms up to Phineas's back, bring him into a hug. "I'm going to miss you too silly." 

Phineas hugged him back, just as the song came to an end.

The door opened. 

"Phineas! Ferb! Come-oh how adorable!" Their mom said as she looked in at her hugging sons. Phineas looked up, Ferb's hands slowly falling to hold his arms. 

"Hey mom," Phineas said. 

"Phineas wanted to say his goodbye before he left today," Ferb said. 

"Aw, well once you're done you can come inside, breakfast is ready," she said. She closed the door. Phineas looked up at Ferb with a smile. 

"Well, I'll see you silly," Ferb said. 

"You're not coming in?" Phineas asked.

"Nah, gotta stop the oil-leakage," Ferb said. He kissed Phineas chastely and then smiling, rubbing his face. 

"Go learn to conduct." Ferb slowly let him go, and then went back to the car. Phineas smiled and sighed sadly, turning and going back inside. 

~~~

That night Ferb sat on his bed, alone. Perry was asleep on the end of the bed. Ferb was reading a book on philosophy, which he was rather intrigued by. That day after saying goodbye to Phineas, Ferb worked on the car. His friends stopped in and they chatted for the afternoon. 

Then he took a shower and just sat on his bed. 

He closed the book after that chapter and sighed, looking up at the ceiling. It was only a slige lf day and already it felt like something was missing. It was uncomfortable really, to not have Phineas there with him in his arms asking about his book or talking about the laws of space while sharing a tender exchange. 

He shivered and looked for his hoodie, but then smiled as he remembered Phineas had taken it with him. Something so Phineas wouldn't feel homesick. 

He slowly got up and went to Phineas's bed, sitting on it and rubbing the fabric of the blankets on it. He then felt something hard under the covers. He took it out. 

The purple poetry notebook. He still had it after a year. 

He opened the pages, and was surprised when a more pages fell out. He had written so much poetry he needed more pages.

He brought the notebook back to his bed and laid down, reading the many pages. 

Some were just journal entries that described that day, but there were still many poems, and a few doodles. 

One in particular caught his eye. It had a small drawing of a heart in the corner, with the letters 'P' and 'F' in it. 

'Thoughts of you can make my head spin,

I can't help but think of you whenever I hear a love song come on,

And I know that this type of love is considered a sin,

But can a love that makes me feel so great, 

Really create such hate? 

You're like an angel to me,

Like a gift from some being from above,

With your love I can finally see,

And it was more than love you gave me,

You gave me a sense of purpose and my life,

When I waged wars on myself really late a night, 

You always tried to stop the fight,

And you never doubted me or my scarred face,

You complimented me when I felt uglier than shame,

You saw my blue eyes cry and you've held my face in your hands,

When I stood their screaming, 'death would take the pain away,'

You saved me from the darkness and turned the harsh night into day, 

I don't know what I did,

But I could never repay the debt that you, Ferb Fletcher, have left me in.'

Ferb ran his fingers down the page, feeling the small crevices the ink had made. It had been written in dark blue ink, but the words were definitely written in Phineas's handwriting. Phineas always had a special creative side. Not just in building, but in the arts. His musical abilities were phenomenal, that was plain to see. He wrote a poem once freely, way back in that summer they wrote they were one-hit wonders. But he never showed that side of himself again. 

He did write poetry when it was required, like in school. But he never really expressed emotions through metaphors and similes. So this was an interesting side to see of Phineas. He was good with it, writing poetry. Even after the incident with his father, he had kept with it. 

Ferb smiled. Phineas said he hated writing, it was boring to him. How could words make someone feel something when experiencing it was so much better? 

But here he was, writing poetry, and he was good at it.

His phone rang, and he went into his pocket. He smiled. 

Incoming call: Phineas Flynn

He answered it.

"Hey silly, miss me already?" He asked. 

"Yeah..." Phineas said. He rolled over onto his side, pressing the fabric of Ferb's hoodie closer to his body. "I miss you...sleeping here isn't easy without you."

"I miss you too," Ferb said as he sat further up on the bed. "How's drum major-ing?"

"Good, we didn't do much conducting, just went over introductions and leadership stuff," Phineas said. "Mr. McRevel was there."

"The band director teaches drum majors?" Ferb asked.

"Well, yeah, he's been doing it for thirteen years," Phineas said. "When's football camp again for you?"

Ferb sighed gruffly. He hated football. He was good at it, but he hated it. He signed up for it foolishly, thinking it was British football. He felt like an idiot, it was such a stupid mistake. He had lived in America for how long? And thought to himself: "Hey! In an AMERICAN school they're going to call soccer football!" 

"Sometime in August," Ferb said. "Not during your band camp though." 

"That's good, I can come and watch you then. You going to be quarterback?" Phineas asked. 

"God I hope not. I hope I get put on the bench," Ferb said.

"But you're really good at it Ferb."

"But I really hate it Phineas.'

Phineas laughed. "Thanks for the hoodie by the way, it's really keeping me warm."

"Mhm," Ferb said. 

"It smells like you," Phineas said. "Your cologne and aftershave."

"Speaking of shave," Ferb said as he rubbed his face. "I have to shave."

"Alright wolf man."

"I'm just more hairy..." Ferb said. He smiled at Phineas's laugh. He could listen to that laugh all day.

"Alright, it's late, you're a drum major, you need sleep," Ferb said.

"It's not late yet," Phineas said. 

"It's almost eleven Phineas," Ferb said. "Get some sleep."

"But that means saying goodbye," Phineas said, hurt cracking his voice.

"I'm only a phone call away," Ferb said. "Come on, the sooner you're asleep, the closer you are to being back home with me." 

That got Phineas to give in and go to bed. Ferb clicked his lips together to imitate a kiss goodnight, gave one last 'I love you', and hung up. 

~~~

When Phineas came home, the first thing he did as drop his bags and tackled Ferb into the ground. He had gotten much tanner during his time at the camp, and there seem to be more freckles than the last time Ferb had saw him. His hair seemed redder and lighter from the sun exposure. 

"So how was drum major camp?" Ferb asked, slowly sitting up after he recovered from the blow.

"Fun, but you weren't there,' Phineas said as he shoved his face into Ferb's chest." I missed you."

Their mother smiled as she watched them. They were so close, she was happy they had bonded so well. It almost seemed like they had known each other since birth, drawing strength from each other and learning from one and other.   
She gave them their moment, and slowly moved Phineas's bag away from the door. 

Ferb slowly got up, Phineas still clinging to him, his legs wrapping around Ferb's waist as Ferb stood up. Ferb slowly slid his arms under Phineas's knees, hands securing the red-head by resting on his back.

"Nice calves," Ferb said as he slowly began to walk upstairs. 

"Calves of steel," Phineas said with a laugh. Candace looked at them from the living room and rolled her eyes, but smiled. She went back to reading her magazine, suddenly looking up when she heard a small thud. Perry had leapt onto the couch and had curled up for a nap.

She laughed. "Oh there you are Perry!"

~~~

"So then we finally went over conducting, which is a lot harder than it looks," Phineas said as he took his shirt off to shower. "You have to internalize tempo," He straightened up and began to move his arms in an anchor like motion. His motions were swift

"Well, you're pretty good at it," Ferb said as he slowly came around from behind him and began to kissed Phineas's neck. 

"May not, I'm caked in sweat," Phineas said as he gently pushed Ferb away. "Ferb!"

Ferb smiled at him, kissed his neck once more, and then let him go.

"Hey once you're done, I got something to show you," Ferb said. 

"Don't you always?" Phineas asked as he grabbed his towel from behind the door. Ferb simply smiled at him. "Go shower."

Phineas rolled his eyes playfully and went to the bathroom. 

~~~

"I mean this girl was so...bizarre," Phineas said as he combed his hair. 

"Really? So all drum majors are weird? I thought it was just you," Ferb said. Phineas threw his towel at him. Ferb laughed and fended it off. "Do you have clothes on?"

"Not yet, don't-" Phineas paused as Ferb peaked out from under the towel. "Ferb! I don't have clothes on yet!"   
"Shouldn't have thrown your towel," Ferb said. "Besides, not the first time I've seen you naked."

Phineas was almost as red as his hair. Ferb grinned. The red-head grabbed his boxers and pulled them on. 

"No no, don't put them on. I was enjoying the show," Ferb said. 

"I swear I'll kill you," Phineas said, picking his shorts up off the ground and putting them on.

Ferb took the towel off his head. "No you won't." He stood up and walked to Phineas, who was buttoning his plaid shirt. He rolled up the sleeves to his elbows. "You think I won't?" Phineas asked, walking up to Ferb and pushing his nose into Ferb's. 

"Yup, you're harmless," Ferb said, looking back down at him with an amused smile. Phineas couldn't be threatening on command. Right now he just looked like an angry puppy. 

"Am not!" He barked. Ferb put his arms on Phineas's shoulders and tilted his head down, kissing his forehead. "Harmless, silly."

"Dork," Phineas said. 

"Whatever you want love," Ferb said. "Want to see what I did while you were gone?"

"Sure," Phineas said. 

~~~

It had been the car. He had completed it with all the free time. As much as he loved free-time, he'd rather spend his time with Phineas. The car was complete, though Ferb wasn't surprised. He could do a lot in a day, so fixing up car in a week was nothing short of just him being him.

"Wow," Phineas said, running his hand over the hood. "You did an awesome job on this!"

"Thanks dear," Ferb said. 

"Does it work?" Phineas asked.

"Of course, this is me we're talking about," Ferb said. Phineas smiled. 

"You know, the back folds out into a bed," Ferb said. 

"Really?" Phineas asked. "So you could use it for a road trip."

"A road trip? Oh wow look at the time," Ferb said, looking at an imaginary watch on his wrist. "We have time for a quick one." 

"We can't just-"

Ferb opened the door into the kitchen. "Mum! Phineas and I are going on a quick road trip!"

"Be back by twelve!"

Ferb looked back at Phineas and grinned. "I'm very persuasive. Hop in silly, we're going cruising." 

~~~

"You drive me everywhere," Phineas said. "One of these days you're going to drive me to a boardwalk and ask me to marry you."

"Oh will I? Maybe I'll marry you right now," Ferb said. "Let's get married right now."

"No thanks, high school first," Phineas said. Ferb rolled his eyes. "High school is such a minor thing in the way."

Phineas laughed and looked off at the road. It was a forest area. He knew this area well, it had a hiking trail on it that he had been on a couple times before. He liked it, it had good memories. 

"Why do you always bring me to these old spots?" Phineas asked, looking to Ferb with a smile. 

"Because I love you," Ferb said back. "Hey, can you go into the glove box and get my sunglasses?"

Phineas opened the compartment and took out a pair of aviators, handing them to Ferb. Ferb took one hand off the wheel and opened them by his mouth. He put them on. 

"Thanks love," he said. 

~~~

Despite what Ferb said, it wasn't a short road trip. He parked in a field and set up the bed that came out from the trunk. He had brought his guitar, and had taken it out to play. He sat on one side and Phineas on the other, strumming and playing a few nonsensical songs about their pet platypus or their endless summer. 

Then he sang another song, which struck a few heartstrings in Phineas. 

"Do you remember when we first met~? When we first saw each other all those years ago~? It was like magic, like one of those love stories in the books~! We'd go out on the playground and play pretend~! But I'd never know it back then~! Now that we're here and you're looking at me, I can feel it arise~! And forever and ever I hoped that our story would never end, since I fell in love with my best friend~!"

Phineas looked down and smiled, his face turning a slight pink to the song. Ferb smiled and kept strumming. 

After a few more songs he put his guitar away and the two laid down beneath the stars. Phineas drew in the sweetness of Ferb's cologne, which was something he had missed his week away. He had missed Ferb entirely. His voice, his body, his personality, everything. He just missed Ferb, with his sweet smile and his eyes that were always full of laughter. Ferb spoke a lot through his eyes, especially when he had no words to describe what he was feeling.

Some people said that they didn't see it. But Phineas grew up reading those eyes, they said everything that needed to be said when words failed. He loved Ferb's eyes, they were like two priceless diamonds, or the brightest stars in the sky. 

He pressed closer to Ferb, taking in his presence. It brought a relaxation over him.

"Hey, look," Ferb said, pointing up at the sky. Phineas glanced up, but it turned out to be a joke. Ferb kissed him. 

He smiled, but something was bugging him. 

"Phineas love, what's wrong?" Ferb asked, looking down at him. Phineas shook his head.

"It's nothing."

Ferb gave him a concerned look. "Last time you said that you almost jumped off a bridge. Now tell me, what's wrong?"

"It's just..." Phineas sighed. "I love you, and I love you a lot. It's just hard, keeping this whole thing a secret and stopping myself whenever we're around someone. Will we ever come out with this, you think?"

Ferb laid back down beside Phineas. "Of course we will, if that's what you want."

"But it's not about what I want Ferb," Phineas said. "It's about what we as a couple want."

"Phineas," Ferb said. "I'm okay with coming out with it whenever you are."  
Phineas sighed. 

"You know, there still is prom..." 

Phineas turned and looked at his step-brother. Then he smiled. Prom, yes, such a time away and yet also on the horizon. Plenty of time to prepare for what would come.

"You know what? Let's do that, let's come out at prom," Phineas said. Ferb smiled. "See? All taken care of now, no need to worry," Ferb said. He slowly moved his hand over Phineas's body. "Would you like to continue?"

Phineas nodded as he played with the top button of his shirt, slowly pushing it out and revealing more skin. Ferb kissed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff, to prepare for what is to come.
> 
> Sorry for not updating in awhile guys! School is slowly coming to a close and there are a lot of projects and finals! But hey, glass half-full that means it's getting close to summer! Which means more time to write and more frequent updates.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. The First Football Game

The first week of school had been a nightmare. Phineas had little to classes with Ferb, and whatever classes he did have he sat far away from him. Phineas was taking a lot of creation classes, such as wood workshops and coding and, of course, band. Ferb was taking six advanced placement classes, many of which Phineas could have done but chose not to since he liked creating over doing the actual math. Ferb felt the same, but he wanted to get as many college credits out of the way as he could, despite not knowing where he wanted to go for college or even knowing what he wanted to do. 

School wasn't hard, it was getting used to doing the same thing everyday that was hard. 

Marching band gave a pleasant spin Phineas needed. 

He enjoyed the show of that season, one about how 'growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional.' He believed in that as much as he did in 'carpe diem.' It focused on how staying young at heart was an important part of life, and how kindergarten was a valuable aspect in life.

Conducting it was fun, so far the band had learned a bit past the ballad and had only a single part left.

Phineas glanced up at the clock in his class, tapping his pencil against his notebook. First week and the science teacher was already starting with lessons. He was going over the show in his head, trying to remember the musical changes within it, all of his cutoffs and starts.

"Phineas."

He looked up. Mr. Doofenshmirtz was looking at him from across the room.   
"Can you answer the question?" The science teacher asked. 

"Oh uh...yeah, the valence electrons are on the outer layer of the atom," he said, looking down at his notes and then up at Mr. Doofenshmirtz. 

"Correct, now the valence electrons are..."

Phineas dozed off again, running through the show over and over and over in his head. 

The bell rang, and he was the first one out, heading straight for the band room. His walk there took him past the chorus room, where Buford was walking out with Baljeet, looking rather pleased. 

"Buford? Gosh you look happy, what happened?" Phineas asked.

"A little someone is directing the school musical," Buford said.

"What?! How'd you land that?" Phineas asked.

"He sucked up to the choir teacher," Baljeet said. "It will be the first student directed musical of in the school's history."

"I mean, I know you were getting into directing and all that, but dang, the school musical? That's like, the biggest thing to happen in the school!" Phineas said.

"Besides prom," Baljeet said. Buford was going through the papers he was given by the choir teacher. "And, this year the musical is going to be one of the more major ones, you know, one of the big ones like Wicked or something like that."

"So are you in charge of everything?" Phineas asked. Buford nodded. "I'm in charge of picking it, casting it, costumes, make-up, lighting, blocking, sets, promotions, cast-parties...it's going to be a hassle, but I'm ready." 

"What are you thinking of doing?" Phineas asked.

"Les Miserables, Wicked, Rent, something major," Buford said. "Though I'm leaning towards Les Miserables." 

"Well I look forward to seeing it," Phineas said. "You guys going to be at the football game?" 

"Of course, I wanna see Ferb make a touchdown," Buford said. "And of course, see you conduct the band."

"Isn't Isabella going to that?" Baljeet asked. 

"Yeah, her and her friends are going to be selling merchandise for the club on women's rights," Buford said. 

"I'm glad she started that club," Baljeet said. "It's really taking off."

"Mhm, was even thinking of joining myself," Buford said.

"No, the great Buford van-Stomm, who a couple of summers ago said, 'Losing to a girl doesn't count,' joining a club on women's rights?" Phineas asked. 

"I mean I'm all for women's rights!" Buford said.

"That, and he just wants to get closer to Isabella," Baljeet said. 

"Aw Buford! Do you have a crush on Isabella? We won't tell," Phineas said.

"I do not!" Buford said, adjusting the collar of his sweater. "Besides, we all know who she's got her sights set on." Baljeet elbowed Buford in the gut. 

"We...do? Who?" Phineas asked.

"I-uh-"

"Phineas!" Phineas turned to see Ferb walking down the band hallway. "I've been waiting for five minutes, where have you-oh I see. Chatting with the locals?"

"Yeah, well, Buford has some big news, tell 'im Buford!" Phineas said.

"I-" Buford said proudly, "-am directing the school musical." 

"Impressive!" Ferb said. "I'll have to come see it."

"You should try out," Baljeet said. "With the musical Buford is thinking of selecting, it would fit your vocals well."

"I'm not one for preforming," Ferb said. 

"Never actually heard you sing before," Buford said. "I'd like to though."

"I would but...it may interfere with football and all that," Ferb said.

"Since when did you put football over anything?" Phineas asked. 

"The auditions are in December before winter break," Buford said. "Football season would be long over, come on, the final shows are right before prom." 

"I'll..think it over," Ferb said. "Anyway, Phineas and I gotta run, gotta prepare for tonight." 

"I'll see you guys tonight!" Phineas said. 

~~~

Buford sat beside Baljeet that night at the football game, concerned about the musical rather than the game. He did look every now and again when the fans began to scream. 

Baljeet would often get up to talk to Ginger. It was obvious to see that they liked each other, almost as much as Isabella's crush on Phineas.

Buford sighed and pushed THAT thought out of his head. He wasn't jealous, he wasn't one to get jealous. If she liked Phineas, there was nothing he could do about it. But it hurt, especially in middle school he began to realize his feelings for her. 

They blossomed around the summer of seventh grade, when she had asked him to help her make Phineas's birthday present. Ever since then, just working with her and getting to know her one on one, he had just began to like her. She was strong, she knew what she wanted and where she was going, something he admired, but she also had a sweetness to her. But she liked Phineas, and who was he to get jealous over that? She had liked Phineas from the start, and hell his past self probably blew any chance he had with her.

So he just had to stifle his feelings and grit his teeth and watch her chase after him. 

He sighed. Buford closed the notebook he was writing in and put it beside him. Baljeet was away with Ginger, probably flirting with her about the matters of space. 

He looked over at the band, seeing Phineas sitting at the bottom step with the band behind him. He looked back every now and again to laugh at something one of the band kids had said, and then he'd get up and conduct a stand tune or two.

Then he'd look back out onto the field and smile. 

Smile at Ferb no doubt. Buford couldn't help but wonder about them, Phineas and Ferb. They were close, he knew that, but he still couldn't help but sense something was off, especially since last summer. 

He recalled it so clearly, the exchange Phineas and Ferb shared. It was something different then brotherly love.

But it couldn't be, he couldn't jump to conclusions like that. That's how rumors were spread. Terrible, terrible rumors. 

Besides, maybe they were even closer after that summer, as impossible as it seemed. Maybe they finally reached the max point of their closeness. 

But then again, watching Phineas look out onto the football field with that look of...affection in his eyes raised a few questions in Buford's head.

He shook his head and stood up, taking his notebook with him to go and talk to Isabella.

She was behind a plastic table with Adyson, Gretchen, and Holly. 

"Hey, what chya' doing?" Buford asked. She turned with an amused smile. "Hello Buford," she said. 

"So, business been well?" Buford asked. 

"Mhm," Isabella said. "Raised forty-two dollars and it isn't even halftime yet! I was thinking of doing a raffle next time."

"Well, if you need any help, let me know," Buford said. Isabella's smile turned more appreciative. "Okay Buford...if you see Baljeet and Ginger tell Ginger I need her over here soon!"

"Of course," Buford said. He suddenly looked up at the sound of the crowd roaring.

"And there goes number twenty-eight Fletcher! He's running past the fifty, the forty-five, the thirty! He's still going!"

Isabella ran to the fence and hopped up. "Go Ferb!" She yelled. Buford dashed beside her, watching as the Brit crossed the twenty yard line. He was fast, really, really fast.

"Oh my god did he run that from the fifty?" Isabella asked.

"I...think so," Buford said. 

Ferb dropped the ball as he got to the end zone.

The band began to play the fight song. 

"Well, now that Ferb's the quarterback we may actually have a chance at winning this year," Isabella said. She looked to Buford. "Why didn't you join the football team?"

"Eh, that dream died a few years ago, theatre became more of my thing," Buford said.

"Right, I've heard you're directing the musical this year," Isabella said. Buford nodded.

"Mhm!" He said. "Probably going to do Les Miserables, it's a powerful musical and we haven't done it yet."

"Well, if you need any help, you got me and the girls," Isabella said. She smiled again and looked back out at the football field.

The team scored the field goal.

"You know as much as Ferb says he hates it," Isabella said as she watched Ferb's teammates crowd him. "I think he likes football a little bit."

"Wouldn't blame him, he's a star," Buford said.

"I'm surprised he doesn't have a girlfriend," Isabella said. "I mean, he's tall, he's got a lot of muscle, he's shaving regularly but leaves enough hair to look like he's in his twenties, he's got an accent...some girls at my lunch table even talk about him! Yet he doesn't have a single love-interest...does he still like that Vanessa girl?"

"Oh no, he left that crush behind a long time ago," Buford said. "I guess he's just uncomfortable with his whole...'womanizer' persona."

"Well, he could have any girl he wants to," Isabella said. She then looked to Buford and then playfully punched his arm. "See you around."

"Yeah, see ya," Buford said. Isabella returned to her table while Buford stayed to watch the game. 

~~~

From the moment Phineas stepped onto the podium, Ferb could tell he was nervous.

He didn't show it outwardly, but in his eyes Ferb could just see how uneasy he was. Conducting was different than singing in front of people, Phineas had told him. Singing if you mess up than you can recover, if you mess up while conducting you mess up the whole band.

But once he started conducting, the uneasiness in Phineas was gone, and Ferb smiled as he watched him up there.

When the show was over, Ferb clapped the loudest, smiling up at his step-brother. Phineas couldn't look at him, but as Phineas passed him to head to the front of the band, he could see pure joy in his step-brother's face.

He caught Phineas's eye for a second. He was so happy it was contagious, and Ferb couldn't help but smile. 

Then the second-half of the game started. 

~~~

Buford walked back towards the bleachers, cheering as the band past. Phineas shot him a smile. 

"Okay guys! Third quarter is yours, but be back in the stands by fourth!" Phineas called up to the band. He stepped to the side to allow them to pass to go buy food, and then walked down to Buford. 

"Nice show tonight Dinnerbell," Buford said. Phineas smiled. "Thanks! I felt good about it, so did Mr. McRevel."

"Wanna come help me find Ginger and Baljeet?" Buford asked. 

"Sure," Phineas said. They began to meander, but every now and again would they look for Ginger and Baljeet. 

"So, you and Isabella," Phineas said. "I always thought something could go on between you two."

"Really? Since everyone else thought it would be YOU and Isabella," Buford said. "Y'know, how you two hang out so much."

"Me and Isabella...? Nah, I mean she's fantastic friend, really she is, and I feel like I should like her like that but...I just don't. I can't see her in a romantic way," Phineas said. "It's not that she's not pretty or anything...I just don't see her that way."

Buford nodded, sliding his hand into his pocket and readjusting his notebook. "So who do you like? Surely you like someone."

"Oh no one," Phineas said with a nervous laugh. "Not really focused on that right now...more focused on my studies and getting into college!"

"And Ferb? He like anyone?" Buford asked. "He's practically the bachelor of the whole school, surely he likes someone." 

"He's not focused on that either...we both just kind of wanna complete highs school, y'know? Not get caught up in that whole romance stuff," Phineas said. 

Buford nodded. "So...you and Isabella...you wouldn't mind if I..."

"Not at all" Phineas said. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." He adjusted the collar of his uniform. "Anyway, better go find Ginger and Baljeet"

"Mhm..." there was one last thing bugging him. "Phineas...how about what happened last summer...y'know...the one with your dad..."

Phineas stopped dead in his tracks, completely frozen. Buford silently swore at himself. 'Damn it...shouldn't have brought it up!' He thought. 

"Never mind..." Buford said. "Forget I said anything."

Phineas let out a long sigh. "Sorry...I just don't like talking about it...I still have to take medication for it...my depression I mean..." Phineas looked to Buford. "Since sometimes it'll just come back...and I'll stay up for hours just...breaking down over the memories..."

Phineas shivered. He hated those nights. His most recent episode was a couple of days ago, on the first day of school. That night he awoke at 2 AM gasping, with Ferb by his side almost shaking him awake.

He was having that same nightmare again...the one where he was drowning and there that heavy feeling in his chest and panic flooding his body as he suffocated. Though at the time it had been peaceful, the nightmare played it out as a time of panic and fear.

He had to be comforted by Ferb, who hugged him and rubbed his back and whispered, "It's okay Phineas...you're safe, I've got you."

He cried into Ferb's shoulder, gripping his sides and pressing into him. That was why he still took the medication, so the episodes wouldn't snowball into something major. He still saw his therapists from time to time to do a check-up. 

"You're getting better!" She would say to him. "Don't give up."

Don't give up, three powerful words that did fuel the slowly re-growing fire Phineas had for life. 

"I'm sorry to hear that Phineas," Buford said. Phineas sniffed. 

"It doesn't matter...let's just find Baljeet and Ginger," Phineas said as he gave Buford a pained smile. 

Buford nodded.

~~~

Baljeet and Ginger were under the bleachers when they found them. They had just shared a kiss and Buford couldn't help but smile as he watched his best friend share that moment with her. Phineas grinned. 

"Well well well," he said. "Looks like two people FINALLY got together!" 

Baljeet rubbed the back of his neck and grinned a bit, Ginger smiling and taking Baljeet's hand. "Yeah..." she said, looking away with the same smile. 

"About time," Buford said. "Isabella said she wants you over at the stand." 

Ginger sighed but gave him a nod. She turned to Baljeet, gave him one last kiss, and then began to walk back towards the table.

Phineas shot Baljeet a playful glance.

"What?" He asked with a cheery grin. 

~~~

It was the fourth quarter, and the Danville High Dragons were tied with the Redford High School Rams. The Rams had the ball, they were at the thirty yard marker, there was thirty seconds left on the clock, and the Rams were on their third down. 

All odds were stacked against the Dragons. 

But what made Ferb even more sick to his stomach, was that all eyes were on HIM to do something about it. 

He stood in his position, feeling his heart pound in his chest and the sweat drip down his body. Then came the yell and the ball was thrown.

It all happened so fast he didn't know what he was doing. One moment he was standing there and the next he had intercepted the ball. Then his natural instinct came in and he was running. His head rang loud enough it drowned out all the screaming coming from the stands. 

Just like that, he was across the end zone, and the ringing stopped. 

"Oh my god..." he breathing, leaning over and catching his breath, dropping the ball. "...I scored the winning touchdown."

He looked up as he heard the band play and smiled, seeing Phineas conducting. 

He was surrounded by his teammates, who lifted him up into the air. He took off his helmet and ran his fingers through his sweat-soaked hair. 

Victory did feel nice, but he was completely exhausted. 

~~~

Buford waited at the school, Isabella away saying her thanks to Holly, Gretchen, and Adyson and Baljeet and Ginger away making tender exchanges. 

He watched the band give their final...chant.

"How are you feet?" The director asked. "Together!" The band shouted back. "Stomach?" "In!" "Chest?" "Out!" "Shoulders?" "Back!" "Elbows?" "Frozen!" "Chin?" "Up!" "Eyes?" "With pride!" "Who's going to have an awesome season?" "D.M.D!" (Which stood for Danville Marching Dragons.) "Fall out!"

The band kids parted ways, Phineas motioning a 'one second' to Buford before heading into the band room. He came out a few moments later wearing the clothes he wore under his marching uniform, and his schoolbag. 

Once Phineas was sure ever band kid had left, he turned to Buford, Baljeet, Ginger, and Isabella. "No need to wait on me," he said. "Go home if you'd like!" 

"Oh...okay. Night Phineas!" Isabella said, taking her leave to her car. 

"Night Phineas!" Baljeet said, wrapping his arm around Ginger. 

"Goodnight Phineas!" Ginger chirped over her shoulder as she and Baljeet walked away. 

"See ya' dinner bell," Buford said. He rounded the corner and stopped, turning and peaking around it. 

Phineas waited and then looked up with a smile as he saw Ferb. 

"Hey silly," Ferb said.

"Hey...you played great tonight!" Phineas said.

"You were marvelous on the podium," Ferb said. They began to slowly walk, Ferb pushing his shoulder lightly into Phineas's. He slowly entwined their index fingers, lightly swinging their hands as they walked.

Buford ducked behind the wall of the school.

"Mark my words..." he whispered to himself. "I WILL solve the mystery of the relationship that belongs Phineas and Ferb."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys, I'm officially on summer vacation! (Sadly I don't get 104 days) So expect much more frequent updates! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Red-Handed

Two weeks into school and there was already a project. 

A small project really, they had to do a research paper in social studies on the Great Depression. It wasn't anything to complicated or tricky, and if he actually sat down to do it Phineas knew he could knock it out in a couple of hours.

But, then again, it wasn't due for another week. 

That's what he told himself a week ago. The paper was due TOMORROW, and he had done zero research and hadn't even written his name on his paper yet. 

Shit.

As horrible as that was, he decided during his after school period that he would go to the school library, the quietest place in the school, and get the work done after school.

He finished his lunch and scrolled through his phone as he waited for his friends to finish. Isabella was talking of her club’s spike in popularity and Buford was listening with great detail. 

"We're having a meeting next week, and we're expecting around twenty people," She said. "Maybe more, if it continues to grow at the rate it is!"

"That's incredible Isabella," Buford said. "I'm so happy for you."  
"Yeah Isabella," Phineas said. "You're really making an impact on the school."

Isabella beamed and moved to throw out the remains of her lunch.

Buford took a deep breath in, and fiddling with is thumbs, wondering if he should ask now. 

“So…you and Ferb…you guys..close?” He asked. 

“What? Buford why are you asking that?” Phineas asked with a laugh. “Of course we are!”

“Oh…yeah, silly me!” Buford said. He sighed. “So you really don’t like anyone?”

“Nope,” Phineas said. “Buford what are you getting at?”

“Nothing,” Buford said. “Don’t matter.”

Isabella came back and sat down. She sensed the tension. “Uh, something happen?”

“I was just asking stupid questions,” Buford said. “Don’t worry.”

~~~

Phineas slowly walked towards the library, walking in and checking in before setting his backpack down and sitting at one of the computers, plugging in the keyboard he rented out. Yes, at his high school, they had to rent the keyboards, since some kids thought it would be funny to steal the keys. 

That’s not all they stole. Mirrors from the bathrooms (which is why most bathrooms in the school were closed), calculators, gym equipment, it all began to vanish. One guy even stole one of the stall doors in the men’s bathroom in the F wing, how he did so baffled Phineas. 

He sighed and signed into the computer, clicking open the search engine and opening the document. 

He typed the heading in the proper format and then sat back. He looked at the clock on the computer and then the one in the library. The one in the library was ahead by three minutes and twelve seconds. 

Phineas clicked open Google and began to type in the Great Depression, head falling onto his hand as he yawned. He checked the clock on the computer again. 

2:34

He took a long breath in, it faltered out as his lungs began to choke. He coughed, taking elongated breaths in and out. 

He went into his backpack and pulled out the inhaler, taking a long breath of it in. 

Anything that helped, even in the smallest, was much appreciated. 

He let out a small sigh of relief as his lungs relaxed, putting the inhaler away. He then looked back to the screen. 

2:35

In the past minute, he typed nothing. 

He bit his tongue and stood up, walking to the non-fiction section and pulling out a few books on the topic. 

“Y’know, I knew you liked to procrastinate, but putting an essay off to the last minute doesn’t seem like you.”

Phineas turned sharply, Ferb standing there with his sarcastic smile and his soft eyes. He was leaning against the books with his arms crossed. 

“Shut it,” Phineas said with a laugh. “You always knew I procrastinate.”

“Which is why you need me, so I can keep your procrastinating-self in line,” Ferb said, walking forward and slightly leaning over so he was eye-level with Phineas, pushing his nose into the tip of Phineas’s. 

Looking into the two blue eyes, Phineas felt himself melt. He grinned despite himself, staring back. 

“You know, you have such pretty eyes,” Phineas muttered. 

“Thank you, I enjoy yours as well,” Ferb said. 

A loud ‘SHH’ came from upfront. Both teens turned to look at the librarian. She had a finger pushed against her lips. 

“Sorry madam,” Ferb said. He looked back to Phineas. 

“Come on then, let’s write that paper,” Ferb said. Phineas smiled again and began to pull more books out. 

~~~

“Oh Les Miserábles! I do enjoy this one Buford!” The choir teacher said. “Have you started working on it? Casting? Maybe gave blocking a thought?” She asked. 

“I was going to post casting details tomorrow, before the weekend. With homecoming on the horizon, I want people to start preparing as soon as they can. Casting will be before winter break,” Buford said. 

“Excellent! You’re on top of things! I’d like another check-up next Thursday,” she said. “If you need anything else, you let me know!” 

“Alright, thanks Miss. K,” Buford said. He took his notebook and papers and left the choir room. He paused to check his phone for the time. 

Buford looked down the hallway for Baljeet or Isabella. Neither were anywhere to be found. He gave a disappointed sigh and began to walk down the hallway, ready to get to his car and head home. 

But then he heard a familiar laugh and the sound of footsteps echoing down the next hall over. The school was shaped as an ‘E’, so the three hallways all had walls that were paper thin. 

“Phineas…?” He asked, and he slowly turned the corner and began to walk towards the other hall. 

~~~

“Thanks for helping me finish this,” Phineas said as he waited for the paper to print. Ferb gave a nod, walking beside him and ruffling Phineas’s hair. 

“Of course,” Ferb said. Phineas took the papers and lightly shoved them into his backpack, taking out his inhaler and taking a quick breathe. He then placed it back in his backpack and picked it up, slinging it over his shoulder. 

“Ready?” Ferb asked. Phineas nodded. They slowly walked out of the library. 

“You know,” Phineas said as they walked down the ramp in the hallway. “We haven’t really…gone on a date in awhile.”

Ferb slowly took Phineas’s hand. “A date?”

“Remember our first date? We sat on the roof of the house and watched the stars…and then for our second one we went to that water park?” Phineas asked. 

“Of course I remember,” Ferb said. “So, you’d like to go on one?”

“I know there hasn’t been a lot of time, heck when we get home at night we both just wanna sleep. I guess I just want us to do something together as a couple, you know, you and me,” Phineas said. “I can’t even remember the last time we just…laid together in bed.”

“I know, I’m sorry love. Once football is over we’ll do a LOT more stuff together. This is just a hectic time, with football and marching band and every other activity,” Ferb said. 

“Yeah…” Phineas said. He looked down at his and Ferb’s entwined fingers. He squeezed them tighter. He loved touching Ferb. It was like there was energy between them that could be shared through connection of skin and skin, lips and lips, eyes and eyes. 

He looked back up at Ferb and smiled. 

“I love you,” Phineas said. 

Ferb smiled and raised Phineas’s hand up to his mouth, placing a gentle kiss on it. “I love you too.”

Phineas pressed his shoulder to Ferb’s. He looked down at their feet. They were walking in rhythm. He felt Ferb run his thumb over the knuckle of his index finger. 

He looked up. Ferb leaned down as if to kiss him, and as Phineas reached up to take it, Ferb pulled away with a teasing grin as he placed his other finger against Phineas’s mouth. 

“If you want a kiss, you’ll have to catch me first,” Ferb muttered. He gave a small laugh and let go of Phineas’s hand, jogging down the hallway. 

Phineas grinned and ran after him. He slid to the sharp right Ferb took into the art wing. He followed, giving a small laugh as he raced after his step-brother. 

Ferb ducked into the door frame in one of the art rooms

“No fair! You’re making the guy with weak lungs run!” He called, slowing as he tried to catch his breath. He slung his backpack to his front and took out his inhaler. 

He then began to walk slowly. 

“Ferb?” He asked quietly.  
But there came no respond. Phineas looked into the doorframe and found the Brit hunched down leaning against it. 

“There’s room for one more…” he said. 

“Barely! You can barely fit in there!” Phineas said. He grabbed Ferb’s elbow and tugged. He didn’t budge. 

“That’s not going to work love,” Ferb said. He stepped out from the doorway as Phineas tugged again, causing the redhead to stumble back. 

He gave Phineas a confused look over. “Did you forget something?”

“Huh? No I don’t think so, I double-checked when I-”

He was cut off by a kiss from Ferb. “You forgot that.”

Phineas smiled and wrapped his arms around Ferb’s neck and kissed him back, more passionately than before. Ferb’s placed his hands gently behind Phineas’s back, locking them and slowly pushing their hips together. 

Phineas was taken back to that time back in the summertime a few years ago. 

It had been a strange afternoon. One minute he was planning on seeing a movie with Isabella and the next…he and Ferb were the same person. 

It was a strange phenomena. Phineas couldn’t describe it, it was a strange sensation. Not necessarily sexual attraction or a feeling of love, but a feeling of completion. He and Ferb were together in one body, they shared a heartbeat, a breath of air, a single thought. 

It was that feeling of completion that Phineas found himself wanting throughout his life in his search for a partner. 

And he found it again when Ferb touched him or kissed him. In fact thinking back to all their times, from just simple skin brushing against skin to their first actual intercourse, the feeling of completion had been there. 

Because Ferb completed him. 

He deepened the kiss, gently sliding his backpack off of his shoulders and then placing his hands back on Ferb’ back, slowly moving them up to brush into his hair. 

There it was, the feeling of completion that he loved so much.  
And there Ferb was, the person he loved so much. 

Nothing could be better. 

Ferb parted their lips, hands unlocking from behind Phineas and rubbing his face. He touched their noses, tilting Phineas’s head slightly. 

“I love you,” he said. 

Phineas moved his hands to hold Ferb’s face. 

“I love you too…”

Ferb gently kissed him again. 

~~~

Buford rounded the corner quietly, confused as to why his friend was still here. 

He looked into the art wing. He saw nothing, but heard the unmistakable sound of kissing. 

Had Phineas found a girlfriend? His heart sunk. Did he lie and ask Isabella out? Was he just trying to not hurt Buford’s feelings?

He took a deep breath in and just as he was about to call out their names, he heard two voices. 

“I love you…” Ferb’s voice. So perhaps Ferb had found a girlfriend. 

Yes that was it! Ferb had finally gotten a girlfriend! But then where had Phineas’s laugh come into play? 

“I love you too…” Phineas’s voice. 

Buford froze. No, no he must have misheard. He must have misheard or misunderstood something. It couldn’t be…it couldn’t…

But it all made sense. It made everything make sense. The closeness, the exchange, the finger holding, Phineas not wanting a relationship with Isabella and Ferb’s disinterest in dating. 

But no, no they were step-brothers. Though they had done some pretty outlandish things, there was no way they would be crazy enough to pursue a relationship. 

But then again…  
Buford slowly turned again, and he found them, kissing, hands brushing over each other’s bodies and if they hadn’t been step-brothers, Buford would have just excused them as any other couple in the school and been home by now. 

Frozen, shocked, and anything else that meant horrified, he spoke. 

“Phineas…Ferb…what in the living hell?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back from Disney World! 
> 
> Sorry for this chapter's shortness, I wanted something to post when I got back from vacation, so I figured this would be a good place for a chapter end. 
> 
> Sadly, Phineas and Ferb aren't in Disney World anymore. I missed their meet and greet by a few years, and they're no longer in the parade I thought they were in. So, I didn't get to meet them. Oh well. I did happen to find a Perry plushie and do three adventures in Agent P's World Showcase! (Funfact: Epcot is my second favorite park, first being Magic Kingdom). 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> EDIT: Oh yeah! How would you guys feel on a Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars fanfiction?


	5. Homecoming Part 1

It took barely a second for them to break away from each other. Phineas covered his mouth, and Ferb put his hands in his pockets and looked away. 

Buford could feel a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to think?! He had just seen his two best friends, who were step-brothers, making out. 

Phineas looked to Buford and then to Ferb. 

‘What should we say?!’ He asked with his eyes. He was begging for someone to talk, to address the elephant in the room. He could closed his eyes, hands still over his mouth as he took deep breaths in and out. His heart rate was picking up from panic, which meant a faster pulse, which his weak lungs might not be able to keep up with. 

He had to calm down. 

“Buford-”

“What the fuck?”

Phineas opened his eyes and stared at Buford. 

“Buford-’’ Ferb tried speaking again, in a soft tone, almost as if he were speaking to a child.

“No Fletcher, what the fuck? Someone better start explainin’ right now,” Buford growled.

“I will if you’d stop yelling,” Ferb said. He slowly moved towards Buford, his hands out in an attempt to calm him. “Buford, Phineas and I, we’re together. We’re in a relationship.”

“An incestuous relationship!” Buford yelled. Ferb quickly pressed a finger to his lips and ‘shhed’ him. “Don’t let the whole school hear you!”

“Bullshit! You were kissin’ loud enough!” Buford growled as he stepped back and began pacing. “Do you know what this is gonna do to the friend group?!” 

“We understand, that’s why we’re trying to keep it a secret,” Ferb said, trying to calm him down again. 

“Well kissin’ in the fucking art wing doesn’t help anybody!” Buford snapped. “You two are step-brothers, how the hell…why the hell…how does somethin’ like this even HAPPEN?!”

“If you’d calm down, we’d explain it to you!” Ferb said. Phineas saw Ferb’s muscles flare under his shirt. He was loosing his temper. 

And Phineas was loosing air. It was getting hard to breath. The panic…his heart was beating too fast. 

“An incestuous relationship! This is…this is wrong!” Buford yelled. 

“That’s why we’re keeping it a secret!” Ferb said again, and he stepped forward, his body opening up to better show off. Phineas looked between them. They were going to fight if they weren’t stopped. His breathing continued to shallow. He could hardly breath. His inhaler…where was his inhaler?

“Ferb…” he rasped. 

“A secret? Yet you openly make-out in the art wing?!”

“We didn’t know you were here!”

“And if I weren’t? Would you just have sex here and now?!”

Ferb looked like he had just been slapped. “Buford!”

Phineas felt his head start to grow light, like there was a balloon in his skull. He was starting to see stars…he couldn’t breath. 

“You’re growing to destroy the friend group with this new fetish!” 

Ferb’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped. His eyes burned with fury, and he shut his mouth to grit his teeth. 

“SHUT. UP.” Ferb suddenly yelled. Ferb barely yelled like that when he was angry. He, of course, wasn’t the yelling type. He hated yelling, so no one ever truly heard him yell. However, when he did yell, it was harsh. It could turn heads and make even the most arrogant of people shut up and listen.  
Perhaps that’s why he barely yelled when he was angry. 

Despite being startled, Buford didn’t back down. 

“What are you going to do?! Hit me?!”

Ferb’s fist raised to strike. 

“Ferb…”

Both of their heads turned to Phineas. His eyes were glazed, his hands were over his throat. Horror went through his face once. Pure horror, it scared even Buford. Then, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and they closed. 

He collapsed to the floor. 

“Phineas!” Ferb slid to Phineas side, cradling him in his arms. 

“Shit, shit, shit!” Buford yelped. “Do you need an ambulance?!”

“No…no…I need his inhaler. His inhaler’s in his backpack…” Ferb said as he pointed to Phineas’s backpack. 

Buford nodded and went to the backpack, taking out the inhaler and handing it to Ferb. Ferb shoved it into Phineas mouth and pushed it down a few times. He then listened to Phineas’s chest. 

“His heart’s beating…god damn it Phineas breath!” Ferb said and he pushed his mouth to Phineas’s. 

He listened to Phineas’s chest again. Suddenly, Phineas’s lungs began to work. He was breathing. 

“Thank god…” Ferb breathed a sigh of relief. He kept Phineas’s head elevated as he waited for him to wake up. 

“You sure you don’t need an ambulance?” Buford asked as he sat beside Ferb. Ferb shook his head. “No…it’s just his lungs. He was having a hard time breathing since he was panicking…I should have known…” Ferb muttered as he looked back down at Phineas’s face. “Doctor said that if this happens, just wait for him to wake-up and monitor his breathing.” It didn’t sound like he was saying that TO Buford, it more sounded like he was reciting it from memory to himself. 

Buford nodded. He looked down, ashamed of what he said. How could he have said those things? He was shocked, yes, but calling it a fetish? That was out of line, that was hurtful. 

“Ferb…” he said, looking to the Brit. Ferb looked to him. 

“I’m sorry…I’m really sorry. I just got worked up…it just comes as a shock that you guys are datin’, but callin’ it…a fetish was out of line. I’m sorry,” Buford said. 

“It’s alright, I get it. It’s a shock that two step-brothers are dating. I’m sorry for almost hitting you,” Ferb said. 

“It’s cool, I’d hit me too,” Buford said. Ferb laughed. “So now that I’ve shut up, can you…maybe explain it?” Buford asked. Ferb nodded. 

“You recall Phineas’s depression, ya?” Ferb asked. Buford nodded. “Well, he needed someone. Someone to remind him to eat, bathe, sleep, all that. Keep him together,” Ferb said. “I did so, and by taking care of him, we just fell in love,” Ferb said. “Our relationship sort of just blossomed, and who would we be to ignore it? And…and bloody hell he was so confused and he just broke down to me that he loved me and…and I think it was then that I realized that I too had fallen in love with him…” Ferb took a deep breath in. “I love him Buford. I love him more than life itself and I continue to love him even more everyday. I know, it’s weird and it’s incestuous and wrong and taboo and whatever the bloody else there is. But you know what? Love works in such mysterious ways that…that it can make the most complicated of relationships happen.”

Ferb looked back down at Phineas, rubbing his face gently. “I love him…”

Buford looked at the ground. “So…you two have been a thing for over a year…does anyone else know?”

“Candace and Perry, and you,” Ferb said. “Candace, much like you, was an accident. Wrong place at the wrong time scenario.” He looked back to Buford. “You promise not to tell anyone about this right? We…we have a time planned for coming out with it…but we don’t want any attention on it right now.”

“Of course,” Buford said, crossing his heart and holding up his hand. “I swear I won’t, secret’s safe with me.”

“Thank you Buford…” Ferb said as he looked back down at Phineas. “Are you still in shock over it?”

“Yeah…but it’ll go away in time,” Buford said. “Is Phineas happy?”

“I try to make him be…it’s been hard for him since Rick,” Ferb said. “Depression and…almost committing suicide made it hard for him to find the spark he had for life before all that happened.”

“I can see why,” Buford said. 

Phineas began to stir awake, the moment he did he gasped a breath of air in and out, and then his gaze focused on Ferb’s face. He slowly lifted his hand up and brushed it over Ferb’s face, stopping as it touched the scruff of Ferb’s face. 

“Morning Sleeping Beauty,” Ferb said. Phineas smiled weakly. 

“Wh-what happen…?” He asked. 

“You fainted,” Ferb said. Phineas looked to Buford and jumped, sliding back a bit as if afraid. 

“Relax dinner-bell,” Buford said as Ferb moved to hold Phineas again. “It’s okay…”

“You won’t tell…will you? Please don’t tell…please don’t tell…” Phineas begged. 

“I already gave Fletcher my oath. I won’t tell a soul,” Buford said. “Calm down Phineas…you’re going to faint again.”

Phineas pressed closer to Ferb, clinging to him and resting his head into Ferb’s shoulder. Ferb rubbed his boyfriend’s back, trying to calm him. 

“Shh…it’s okay. Buford’s not going to tell…” Ferb said. “He understands.” Phineas hugged Ferb tighter. 

“It’s okay Phineas…it’s okay…” Ferb muttered into his ear, continuing to rub his back. 

“I…I guess I’d better go,” Buford said as he stood up and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll see you guys around.”

“See you Buford,” Ferb said. Buford nodded before turning and walking out of the hallway. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize you were going to faint,” Ferb said.

“It’s fine…” Phineas muttered. “Thanks for standing up to Buford.”

“Of course silly,” Ferb muttered back.

 

Going home did not bring any relief. It only grew worse. 

Then came a familiar event, one that gave Phineas déjà vu. His mother ushered both of them into the kitchen, where they were having a family get together. Candace had returned to college of course. Phineas sat next to Ferb, fear lobbing itself in his gut. What was this about? Was it Rick?! Was Rick coming back?!

“Mom? Mom what’s going on?” Phineas asked, panic rising in his voice. 

“Honey, it’s about Rick…” his mother said gently. “There’s no easy way to say it…”

“Don’t tell me…please for the love of god do not tell me…he’s not coming back to live with us…is he?” Phineas asked shakily. 

“No…Phineas, Rick’s dead.”

The words hit Phineas, but he didn’t prosper them. He sat back, letting those words sick in. The world seemed frozen, he couldn’t feel Ferb’s hand grab his and squeeze, he couldn’t hear anything else from his parents, in fact he could barely see. 

Dead? Rick was…dead? Dead…he wasn’t alive anymore. He would never come near Phineas again, he would never try to hurt him or his sister or his mother, he was no longer on this planet alive. 

He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. How was he supposed to feel? Happy? Happy this his father was dead? Sad? Sad that this abusive person was deceased?

The feelings inside of himself swirled like a tornado, bad chasing good and vice versa. 

“I’m…I’m sorry…I feel like my head’s about to explode…” he said. 

“I know it’s a lot to take in, but we thought you deserved to know, so that way you can decide-“

“Decide on what?” Phineas asked.

“-if you want to go to his funeral,” his mom said. “It’s a very, low budget funeral. Just a coffin and a priest, that’s it.”

“We know what he did to you Phineas,” his dad said. “If you’d like, you don’t have to go. You could stay behind with Ferb and I.”

“You guys aren’t going? And Ferb, you knew about this?” Phineas asked, looking to Ferb.

“No Phineas, this is the first time I heard about Rick’s death,” Ferb promised. “But, I agree with dad. I shouldn’t go to his funeral, it isn’t my place.”

Phineas looked to his mother. “You’re going.”

“I have to sweetie, there are a few things that need to be straightened up,” she said. 

“Is Candace?” Phineas asked.

“No, she can’t. Her classes, and she doesn’t even want to look at him,” his mom said. Phineas was quiet for a moment before replying.

“I’ll go.”

“Phineas-“ his mother began.

“I’ll go,” he said. “I have a few things I want to say to him.”

~~~

The funeral, of all days, was on homecoming. Which was fine, Phineas and Ferb had decided they wouldn’t go and just spend the day together. 

But those plans were wasted. 

Phineas sat on his bed, fiddling with the black tie around his neck. He knew how to tie ties, his dad had sat him and Ferb down one day in middle school and taught them both, making them repeat the process over and over. “A proper gentleman can tie a tie without needing to search the internet on a tutorial how,” his dad said. Phineas would probably use that quote as his senior quote.

He looked up at a gentle knock on the door. Ferb was standing in the doorway. “Hey,” he said softly. “Need anything?”

Phineas scooted to the side of his bed to make room for Ferb and patted to the area next to him. Ferb walked in and sat down next to him. 

“How are you doing?” Ferb asked. Phineas sighed. “As good as this day could be.”

“Buford, Isabella, and Baljeet send their regards,” Ferb said.

“Why would they-“

“To you,” Ferb said as he turned to look at Phineas more properly. He took Phineas’s tie and began to tie it. “Not to Rick.”

“I can tie my tie Ferb,” Phineas said with a small smile. 

“I know, but I wanted to do it,” Ferb said. Phineas sighed. “I just…I don’t know how I should feel about this Ferb. His death…” Rick had died from a car accident. His blood was found to have copious amount of alcohol in it. He had crashed into a family of four head on. They all were fine, thank god, but…they had an infant in the car. An infant…

Phineas shuddered. 

“You can feel angry, you can feel sad, you can feel happiness. No one’s going to judge you either way Phineas,” Ferb said, finishing the knot. “He drove you to almost killing yourself,” Ferb said.

“I know but…he was still my dad,” Phineas said. “How did you do it? Forgive your mother, I mean.”

Ferb slid his hands down the tie. “My mother wasn’t like Rick Phineas, she actually tried to love me.”

“But maybe he did and…like your mom…his way of doing it was just wrong,” Phineas muttered. 

“There’s only one way to forgive someone Phineas,” Ferb said, slowly trailing his hand up to Phineas’s face and caressing it gently. Phineas leaned into Ferb’s hand, it felt warm, and his skin had just the right amount of coarseness to it. “You just…have to find it in your heart to let go of whatever they did to hurt you. Which why it’s so hard for some people to forgive, something’s just hurt too much.”

“I don’t know if I should forgive him or not…” Phineas muttered. 

Ferb smiled kindly. “And you may not for the rest of your life.” He kissed Phineas on the rim of his nose. 

“I’ll see you after the funeral,” Phineas muttered.

“I’ll see you,” Ferb said.

~~~

The drive to the funeral parlor had been quiet between him and his mother. Phineas looked out the window. It was the same atmosphere as that summer. Dreary, the clouds were heavy and threatened rain, looking dark and about to storm. The outside world was gray.

His mom finally spoke when they finally pulled into the parlor and parked. 

“I’m sorry…” she whispered.

“Huh?” Phineas asked, quickly looking up and at his mom. 

“I’m sorry Phineas…” she said, Her head was heavy, she kept looking down as tears whelmed in her eyes. “I should have told you a long time ago about Rick…I should have told you about the type of man he was…I should never have let him into our home…and now we’re in this situation. A funeral…”

It had begun to lightly rain. 

“Mom, mom there’s no need to cry, I’m not mad at you, I never was mad at you,” Phineas said. He unbuckled his seatbelt and slid closer to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Mom, you can’t blame yourself for what happened to me. It wasn’t your fault, nothing was your fault. You dad and Ferb were the greatest supports in my life last summer. None of this is your fault…”

His mother sniffed. “I just…I’d never in a thousand years would want you to feel like you had to die to be happy Phineas. What kind of mother am I? To let her son get to that position? Where killing himself seems like a viable answer?”

“It wasn't you who drove me to that,” Phineas said, rubbing her shoulder. “Mom, you can’t think that. Please, don’t ever think that.”

His mother took a jagged breath. “I still have it,” she said. 

“What?” Phineas asked.

“Your suicide note…” she muttered.

“Mom, please…I’m begging you, throw that out. Please, throw it out,” Phineas said. “That’s like holding onto a bad memory on purpose. How is time supposed to heal you if you keep reading it?”

She nodded and Phineas reached across fully, hugging her tightly.

“I love you mom,” he said.

“I love you too sweetie,” she said.

~~~

The funeral had been short, a few words spoken. Besides Phineas and his mom, two other guys were there, who were covered in tattoos and had a smell of alcohol.

Phineas didn't talk to them. Once everything was said and done, the two guys left and Phineas’s mom stepped to the side to talk with the pastor, leaving Phineas alone with the coffin of his dead father.

He sat down on the grass, staring into his grave. Now was the time to talk to him.

He didn’t know what to say. He still was unclear on what he should be feeling. He took a deep breath in.

“Look…I’m not sure how I feel about your death. I hate you, I mean that, but…you were still my father…” Phineas paused. Yeah, that sounded good. “You still brought me into this world…and…funny enough…” his voice was starting to shake now as if he was nervous. He laughed a bit. “…But if it weren’t for you…I never would have met Ferb.” Yes, that part was most definitely true. If Rick hadn’t left, Phineas wasn’t sure if his true dad and mom would have ever met, and then he would have never met Ferb. If Rick hadn’t come back last summer, he wasn’t sure either if he and Ferb would have gotten into a relationship together. There was no scrap of regret in his mind of their relationship, in fact it almost seemed like it was written in the stars, almost like they were soulmates. “I never would have fallen in love…never would have had the happiness I have now…” he was starting to tear up over the thought. 

“So…in a sick, twisted way, thank you.”

With that, Phineas felt as though what needed to be said had been said. With that, the deadly grip Rick had over him had been released. With that, he stood up and went to find his mom to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was eating dinner whilst writing this, so now my room smells of chicken parm XD
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I hope to have part 2 done sometime within the next week. Comments and kudos, as always, are much appreciated! 
> 
> And also, 2 things.
> 
> 1) How would you guys feel about a Drown short story? Like a few stories that take place between the books to show story progression and how things happened in the Drown trilogy. Things to answer questions like: When did Buford first being liking Isabella? How did Ferb get so strong? What exactly is the backstory with Rick and Ferb's mother, and what's Ferb's mother's real name? Stuff like that.
> 
> Also, would you guys like each chapter to have a small bit of trivia about Drown at the end of each chapter in the notes? Like, funfacts about the series?


	6. Homecoming Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! This chapter contains mild smut, so be wary of that

The rain had cleared by the time they got home. Phineas returned to his room and at once began to take the suit and tie off. He breathed a sigh of relief when the tie was off, dropping it onto his bed and slowly sliding his suit off. 

“Did you have to take it off? I barely get to see you dressed up.”

Phineas turned. Ferb was standing in the doorway again. He walked in. “How was it?” He asked.

“It was a funeral…” Phineas said. “As funeral as they can be.”

“Well, change into something comfy,” Ferb said as he grabbed his hoodie from the chair by their shared desk. “We’re going out.”

“Huh?” Phineas asked.

“We’re going out silly, our whole day hasn’t been ruined and the sky’s are supposed to be clear tonight,” Ferb said. 

“You still want to go out tonight?” Phineas asked.

“Hey, it’s the one night you and I can spend some alone time together, besides, I thought you wanted a date night,” Ferb said with a small smile.

“Yeah, I do,” Phineas said.

“Then I’ll be waiting in the car,” Ferb said.

~~~

Ferb looked over at Phineas, who was mindlessly scrolling through his social media. 

“Any homecoming posts?” Ferb asked as he refocused on the road.

“A few. Baljeet and Ginger went together,” Phineas said. “Isabella and Buford didn’t though. What a shame…Buford told me he likes her,” Phineas said. 

“I could tell,” Ferb said. “He’s constantly trying to impress her.”

“I hope they get together, Isabella’s been single for practically all our years of high school,” Phineas said.

“Not true, remember Ryan Trenton?” Ferb asked.

“That was for like, two days,” Phineas said. Ferb smiled a bit. Isabella had dated Ryan only to try to help herself let Phineas go. It had failed horribly. Not that Phineas knew.

“This is true,” Ferb said. “It’s almost like she had her sights set on someone.”

“It’s probably you,” Phineas said. Ferb almost choked on air.

“Me?! Why she like me?!” He asked, breaking into a laughing fit.

“Since you’re Ferb Fletcher! You’re like a girl magnet!” Phineas said.

“Oh Phineas, I love you so much, never change,” Ferb said. “And although I admit I maybe handsome, I’m not a ‘girl magnet, there’s more handsome men than me in our school.’”

“Ferb, we’ve discussed this,” Phineas said, sitting up straight and turning off his phone, shoving it into his pocket. “You’re, Ferb Fletcher. You’re like some sort of sex god at our school. Isabella’s told me that girls talk about in the bathroom and giggle. You’re stronger than like, everyone. You can grow a full beard in two months, you’re like a 21 year old trapped in an 18 year old’s body,” Phineas said. 

Ferb just kept laughing.

~~~

Dinner had been at a small diner, the way they both liked it. Small and peaceful. 

Needless to say, the food was subpar. 

“God damn they can’t even cook fucking meatloaf,” Ferb said, leaning in and sniffing the food. According to Ferb, it had been microwaved. “It smells like shit…” he was semi-laughing. Phineas smiled. 

“Okay Chef Fletcher,” Phineas said. Ferb smiled as he prodded it. “This is nasty,” he said. 

Phineas slid his pasta towards him. “Dig in, the portion is huge.”

“Thanks love,” Ferb said. Ferb didn’t mind being openly affection towards Phineas. It was one of the things Phineas noticed about Ferb after they had begun dating. He just didn’t care they were step-siblings.

~~~

“I’m going to regret that in like…five hours…” Ferb said with a laugh as they left the diner. “I hate their food.”

“Then why did you come here?” Phineas asked with a laugh, joining in on Ferb’s laughing fit. 

“Since I know how much you loved this place,” Ferb said. They kept laughing all the way to the car. 

~~~

Their next stop was the go-kart tracks. Danville had a rather large indoor go-kart track, it was one of their hotspots for tourists. Phineas had been there a couple of times before, it had been fun. 

Ferb went to sign them in as Phineas watched the small electric cars zip around the track. 

“No way…is, is that the famous Flynn-Fletcher brothers?” He turned his head. 

“Oh my gosh…” someone else said. 

“They literally died for each other…”

Phineas slowly walked towards Ferb. Ferb smiled and put his arm around him. 

“I bought two races each, that sound good?” Ferb asked. Phineas nodded. 

The first race between them and Ferb had won. He kept playfully teasing Phineas about it, rallying up the redhead. He crouched a bit, his hands on his knees so he could be eye-level with him. 

“I beat you,” Ferb said. Phineas smiled. 

“I was just warming up, next round you’re going down!” Phineas said. 

“You sound like Candace,” Ferb said. Phineas pushed his nose into Ferb’s. “You know it’s true,” Phineas said. “I could eliminate you.”

“Big words for someone so short,” Ferb said. Phineas looked horribly offended and he smacked Ferb’s arm. Ferb laughed as Phineas tried to attack him. “I am not short! You’re just freakishly tall!”

“Sticks and stones,” Ferb said. 

Phineas did win the last race. 

“Who’s the loser now?!” Phineas asked as Ferb shouldered him. Ferb stifled his smile, looking away. “I won! I won!” Phineas kept getting closer to Ferb’s face with a grin. 

“Shush,” Ferb said. 

“You’re just mad that I beat you!” Phineas said. Ferb looked at him with a smile. “You’re lucky I love you.”

Phineas grinned. 

Before they left, Phineas went to the bathroom. Ferb waited in the lobby, taking out his phone and calling someone. 

“Hello, Vanessa?” He asked. 

“Hey Ferb, you need something?” She asked. 

“How did you know?” Ferb asked, shoving his hand into the pocket of his hoodie. 

“You never call me this late unless you want something,” she said. 

“Is your dad out? Is it just you?” Ferb asked. 

“Dad’s out, Monty’s over. Why?” Vanessa asked. 

“I was wonder if you could maybe let me borrow your roof. You know, the top of your building? I have…a special someone and I wanted to show them something cool up there,” Ferb said. 

“Oh? A special someone? How sweet,” Vanessa said. “Sure Ferbs, I’ll open the roof for you.”

“Thank you,” Ferb said. He said his goodbye and hung up. 

Phineas came back from the bathroom. “We heading home?” He asked. 

“One last thing before we do,” Ferb said. He took Phineas’s hand. 

~~~

“What are we doing at Vanessa’s apartment?” Phineas asked. “Isn’t she visiting her dad?”

“For summer holiday yes,” Ferb said. “I wanted to show you something.”

He brought Phineas to the open roof. Phineas looked around. The city was lit up, it was breathtaking. Like the stars in the sky had descended to Earth. He clung to Ferb for warmth. The wind up here was much stronger. 

“This is…amazing!” Phineas said. Ferb slowly let go of Phineas and went to the edge, taking a breath in. 

“I know right? Just feel the wind in your hair…” he ran a hand through his hair. “The rush of being up so high…”

Phineas couldn’t help but smile as he watched Ferb look out over the lit up city. He slowly went to Ferb, who wrapped his arm around him. “You and I are gonna do great things Phineas,” Ferb said. “One way or another, you and I are going to leave a mark on Danville.”

“Why stop at Danville?” Phineas asked, looking at Ferb with a mischievous smile. “How about the entire Tri-State Area?”

“The whole country,” Ferb said. 

“The whole world,” Phineas said. 

“Hell maybe even the whole galaxy if Meep ever needs us again,” Ferb said. 

“The whole galaxy…” Phineas said. “That sounds good. Phineas and Ferb, changing the whole galaxy.”

“I like that too,” Ferb said. Phineas smiled and turned in towards Ferb. 

“I love you,” Phineas said. Ferb smiled and gently cupped Phineas’s head in his hands. “I never knew it was possible to hold the whole world in your hands,” Ferb said. Phineas began to laugh at that. 

Ferb kissed him. 

 

Vanessa opened the window to let in some fresh air. She glance at the roof. From this angle she could just see the roof. 

There was Ferb, happily kissing someone. She smiled, resting her elbows on the window as she watched him. It felt so good to see him in love. He would often talk to her late at night about it, the constant need to love someone that way. He didn’t want it just for sex, he wanted it since he wanted to feel the closeness of a relationship. He wanted to feel love and to feel loved. 

She saw who he was kissing. It was…Phineas. 

But in all honesty she wasn’t surprised. Ferb and Phineas, Phineas and Ferb, it just made sense that they had gotten together. Ferb taking care of Phineas, it probably fueled the relationship. Perhaps it had even been written in the stars. 

Her smile grew a little more. “Glad to see you found love Ferbs.”

Hands gently wrapped around her waist. “Who are you talking to?” Monty asked. She smiled and turned to him, her hands running over his face. “Myself.” She kissed his nose. 

“Come on,” she said as she led him to the living room. “My favorite song is on, you promised me a dance.”

Monty gave a laugh. 

~~~

The duo got home late that night. Phineas found a small sticky note on the kitchen table. 

‘Candace called, be back tomorrow. -Mom P.S. Feed Perry!’

Ferb looked over his shoulder and read the message. “I got Perry,” he said. “You go upstairs. You look deathly tired.”

Phineas muttered a small ‘thank you’ and went upstairs. He slowly pulled his hoodie off and changed. He crashed onto his bed, cuddling his pillow as he dozed.

He heard the door open. Ferb came in and Phineas heard him change. 

He felt Ferb slowly lean onto the bed and start massaging his back. Phineas stretched out underneath Ferb’s hands. “That feels…amazing,” Phineas said. 

“I can work other parts of my body in amazing ways,” Ferb said. Phineas felt his face turn red as he began to laugh. “Was that a hint?” Phineas asked. 

“Maybe~” Ferb said. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Phineas slowly say up and turned to face Ferb. He grabbed his face and kissed him. Ferb grabbed his shoulders, his tongue entering Phineas’s mouth to explore. It brushed over Phineas’s lovingly. Phineas nipped tenderly at Ferb’s tongue. 

Ferb slowly pushed him back, Phineas falling against the bed. Ferb’s hands moved from his shoulders to his wrists, pushing them back against the bed. 

He broke the kiss to breath. “I love you…” Phineas muttered. 

“I love you too…” Ferb muttered. 

It was when their clothes had come off that made Phineas start to get nervous. They had only gone this far once, and it was last summer. As Ferb trailed delicate kisses down Phineas’s body, Phineas gave off a soft moan as he got so low he could feel his member itch for attention 

“W-wait,” Phineas said. Ferb looked up as he slowly sat back. 

“Are you okay?” Ferb asked, looking down at Phineas.

“Y-yeah…just give me a minute,” Phineas said. “Just a little nervous…” 

“I won’t do anything you don’t want me to,” Ferb said. 

“No…no go all the way…I’m just…this the second time Ferb and it’s been a year…”

“I understand. We don’t have to do this Phineas,” Ferb said. 

“But I WANT to,” Phineas said. “Go on Ferb…I’ll loosen up once you get going.”

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” Ferb said as he caressed Phineas’s face gently. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Phineas nodded. Ferb kissed him again before trailing back down towards his member. 

~~~

He did loosen up. It had been when Ferb was finally within him that he felt completely relaxed, and pleasured. It was that feeling again, the one of completion. Ferb being inside of him and rocking gently made the feeling truly announced. 

Not only that, but Ferb was right. He could do amazing things with other parts of his body. He was a man of action after all, he had to be good with what he did. 

He wanted it to go harder, and Ferb seemed to adjust to what Phineas asked him to do. It felt great. 

Phineas went over the edge first, and Ferb followed after him. 

It had ended as quickly as it began, and soon enough Ferb was beside Phineas, the redhead pressed close to the chest of the Brit. 

“That was…yeah…that was really good…” Phineas said. 

“Yeah…I used a lot of lube…little slippery,” Ferb said with a laugh. Phineas smiled. He was slipping into sleep. With Ferb slowly starting to rub his back and the ticking of his lover’s heart, it all made the perfect setting to sleep. 

“Aw, goodnight silly.”

He fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funfact about this chapter: The Go-Kart part was inspired of a graduation party I went to for my friend. It was at a giant go-kart place. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed!


	7. Halloween

He was currently drowning. 

It was all too familiar. He couldn’t swim up, no matter how hard he tried. He kept clawing at the water, but every effort went wasted. His energy was failing, and the world was getting dark. 

He was dying. 

He screamed in a last attempt effort to get help, but his air left and water filled his lungs. He sank, suffocating. He could hear a strange sound, it was gurgled, but then it took shape into a name. His name. 

“Phineas!”

Phineas shot up straight in bed wheezing. Anxiety had set in his heart, he was terrified. Ferb drew towards him, and Phineas clung to him as he wheezed into his brother’s shirt. 

He began to cry, the anxiety taking control of his mind. 

“Shh…it’s okay. I’m here. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you,” Ferb whispered. 

Phineas calmed his ecstatic breathing as Ferb rubbed his back lightly. 

He continued this for some time as Ferb massaged his back, promising him everything was going to be okay. 

“How about Halloween?” Ferb asked. “What are we doing for Halloween?”

Phineas was confused. It was so sudden, a random question out of the blue.

“Huh…?”

“You and I, we always match on Halloween. What are we going to do this year?” Ferb asked.   
“I…I don’t know…” Phineas muttered. 

“What if we did Little Red Riding Hood? You can be Little Red since you’re a red head, and I can be the Big Bad Wolf,” Ferb said. “A dynamic duo to fit us.”

“Yeah…yeah I like that. That works,” Phineas muttered. He felt a small smile lift up on his face. 

Ferb smiled. “Wanna hear a joke?”

“If it’s a pun I swear to god-”

“How did the broom get a girlfriend?”

Phineas’s smile grew wider. “How?”

“He swept her off her feet.”

Phineas grinned. “That was HORRIBLE.”

“It got you to smile didn’t it?” Ferb asked. Phineas rolled his eyes. He laid back on his bed, his hands over his face. When he took them away, Ferb was still sitting on the edge of his bed. 

“Are…are you gonna stay here tonight? Just for tonight? In case…just in case something bad happens?” Phineas asked. 

“Only if you want me to,” Ferb said. 

“Of course I want you to,” Phineas said, taking Ferb’s wrist. “Of course I do.” 

Ferb slowly crawled up next to Phineas, wresting his head against his arm and placing his other arm around Phineas’s waist. He kissed his neck once as he pushed his leg in between Phineas’s.

“Goodnight,” Phineas whispered. 

“Goodnight silly.”

~~~

“So, are you coming?”

Isabella toyed with her pencil as she walked with Phineas to their next class. 

“Of course, I come every year don’t I? Ferb can come to, right?” Phineas asked. 

“Mhm!” Isabella said. “Are you and him…matching again?”

“Yeah, we’re gonna do a different theme this year than our normal ‘hero-side kick’ thing, we talked about it last night,” Phineas said. 

“Well, I expect your costumes to be pretty awesome, you win the costume contest every year!” Isabella said. 

Phineas smiled. 

“There’s also gonna be a slow dance near the end of the night,” Isabella said. 

“Cool! I’m not really a slow-dance guy,” Phineas said. 

“Oh…” Isabella said. 

“Maybe Buford will ask you.”

Isabella looked up, a bit shocked. Buford?

“He’s nice but, I don’t know,” Isabella said. 

“Well, here’s chemistry,” Phineas said. “I’ll see you this weekend!”

“Yeah! See ya!” Isabella said. 

~~~

“How are we gonna do our Halloween costumes this year?” Phineas asked, sitting in the living room with his legs kicked up on the coffee table. 

Ferb sat beside him and pulled up a blueprint on his phone. 

“This is the ‘Special Effect Gun.’ You load on a picture of whatever you wanna look like, and with the press of a button it scans your face and makes a make-up replica of the picture on your face,” Ferb said. 

“Cool!” Phineas said. 

“I suppose I can just wear a flannel or something, make me look like a werewolf,” Ferb said. “Your costume is easy, red cape, innocent look, basket, that whole thing.”

Phineas smiled. 

Perry stumbled into the room and jumped up onto the couch. 

“Hey boy,” Phineas said, petting Perry just on top of his head. “You can hide in my basket.”

Perry chattered. 

Ferb laughed. “You could be like Dorthy from Oz.”

Phineas laughed. 

~~~

“Are you ready Ferb?” Phineas asked, turning to his as he tied the string of the red cape. He casted a look into the mirror. He had pulled out a white t-shirt from his closet, the cape having sleeves to keep his arms covered. Ferb had given him tan pants, which ended up being to big for him. So, being the problem solver he was, Phineas shoved the ends into the old boots his dad had brought home from the antique shop. 

“It itches.” 

“Let me see your face,” Phineas said.

Ferb slowly turned, and Phineas couldn’t help but be horrified but also laugh at the same time. 

Thin fur, almost like deer fur, was covered over his face, and his nose looked like a dog nose. His eues had turned a demonic yellow, and his teeth were razor sharp. 

“Please tell me you have the tail,” Phineas begged, hoping that his step-brother did indeed buy the tail he had pointed out that day. 

“…yes I did,” Ferb said. He slowly reached to the floor and pulled up the tail, clipping it to one of the belt loops on his jeans. He put his flannel on. 

“Do I look ferocious?” Ferb asked, standing and adjusting his sleeves and collar. “Bloody hell this fur itches.”

“You’re an adorable puppy,” Phineas said as he went to him, fixing his collar for him. 

“Thanks,” Ferb said. “Better go show mum and dad.”

“Yeah, they’ll love it,” Phineas said. He went to get the basket off the dresser. Perry was already sleeping inside. 

 

“Aw, how adorable!” His mother said, smiling as the boys descended the stairs. “Lawrence aren’t they the sweetest? Such a cute theme! And amazing make-up Ferb!” 

Ferb smiled. “Thanks mum.”

“Pictures! Go stand by the jack-o-lantern!” His mother said, pointing at the carved pumpkin in the corner of the room. 

Phineas gave a soft laugh when he heard Ferb let out a soft sigh. Ferb HATED pictures. If he could, he avoided pictures unless it was absolutely necessary. 

“Aw, thanks boys! Have fun at Isabella’s party!” Their mother said. 

“And be on your best behavior!” Their father called after them as they left. 

There was a good amount of dead leaves on the ground, and the moon casted an eerie glow on the pavement. Phineas breathed the atmosphere in. 

“I love Halloween,” Ferb said. “I hope I die on Halloween. That would be cool as shit.”

Phineas laughed. “Maybe we could haunt a house.”

“I’d be down,” Ferb said. 

Isabella answered once they knocked. 

“Hey Isabella! Nice vampire costume!” Phineas said. 

“Thanks! And you two are…Little Red Riding Hood? Clever!” She said as she moved away from the door, allowing them in. “Buford and Baljeet are by the snack table, feel free to mingle!”

Beside Buford and Baljeet and the Fireside Girls, only a few other people were there. Ferb went to join Buford and Baljeet, Phineas following close behind. 

“Little Red Riding Hood? Nice,” Buford said. “I decided to take a more classic approach, I’ve come as Lord Velkan from Stumpleberry Finkbat 8, the Quest of the Regorian,” Buford said. 

“Cool, Baljeet, you and Ginger matching?” Phineas asked. 

“Mhm! I’m here as Prince Albert from Roana 3, and she’s Princess Roana,” Baljeet said. 

“I see you’ve gone all out on the costume this year Fletcher,” Buford said. 

“It itches like hell,” Ferb said. 

“Would you two like some candy? If Buford hasn’t eaten it all,” Baljeet said. 

“Any candy corn?” Phineas asked. 

“I don’t understand how you like that…it’s disgusting,” Ferb said as Phineas reached for the near full bowl. 

“Coming from the guy who loves black licorice!” Phineas said. 

“Well black licorice is good, candy corn is gross,” Ferb said. 

“I’m gonna have to agree with Ferb here, black licorice is good,” Baljeet said. 

“You’ve gone down on my respect meter, both are gross,” Buford said. 

~~~

The slow dance. 

Phineas watched with the candy corn bowl close by, every once and awhile reaching into his basket to check on Perry. 

Baljeet was dancing with Ginger, Adyson with Django, and many other random couples. 

Isabella sat in between Buford and Phineas, “So Phineas, anyone you wanna dance with?” Isabella asked.

“Eh, not at the moment,” Phineas said. He shot a glance to Buford, who was looking away. 

“Hey, where’s Ferb?” Phineas asked. “Ferb? Ferb?! Have you guys seen Ferb?”

“I think he said he was going to the bathroom,” Buford said. 

“I’m gonna go find him,” Phineas said. “Can you guys watch Perry?” Isabella nodded. He slowly wove his way through the crowd of people dancing, calling Ferb's name. “Ferb? Ferb!” 

 

He bumped into someone. They looked like they stepped out of the Victorian era in England. The figure wore a mask, Phineas couldn't see their face.

“Sorry! I was just looking for-”

The figure took his hands immediately and began to dance with him. 

“No wait! You don’t understand! I was looking for someone!” Phineas said. The figure dipped him and removed his mask for a second.

It was Ferb, free of fur and wolf features. He winked at Phineas and brought the mask back down, pulling him back up and continuing to dance with him, away from any prying eye.

“You sneaky…how did you change so fast?” Phineas asked.

“A magician never reveals his secrets,” Ferb said. He picked Phineas up by his waist and spun with him. Phineas smiled down at him. He then set him down and slowly brought them together again.

“Happy Halloween love,” Ferb whispered. 

“Happy Halloween Ferb,” Phineas muttered back.

When the song ended, Ferb went to the door. “Farewell my Red Hood!” He called in an American accent, before leaving in a hurry. 

Phineas went to sit back down. “Some random guy just began to dance with me…”

“I saw,” Isabella said. She forced a smile. “Getting swept up in dancing?”

“I didn't even know him, he just kind of…appeared,” Phineas said. 

“Maybe he was your soulmate or something,” Buford said. “Only kidding of course!” He said when he saw Isabella’s glare.

Ferb came back adjusting the collar of his flannel. “What did I miss?” He asked. 

~~~

“Bye Isabella! Thanks for inviting us!” Phineas said. 

“Anytime Phineas! Thanks for coming guys! Bye!” Isabella said. 

Upon returning home at 1 AM, Ferb brought the candy bowl left on their front porch in. It was still partially full. 

“Hey, mum and dad are probably asleep. What say we take all this stuff off and cuddle on the couch watching horror movies?” Ferb asked. “I was thinking Rocky Horror first.”  
Phineas grinned. “With candy I hope.”

“Of course,” Ferb said.

“You know me so well,” Phineas said as they walked inside.

“Of course I do,” Ferb said. Phineas laughed and pressed closer to Ferb, heading to the upstairs to take the costume off. 

They stayed up till 2 watching their movie, before Phineas gave up and fell asleep on Ferb’s shoulder. Eventually, just a little past 2:34, Ferb fell asleep too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAH, I'm sorry this took so long! I had a bad bought of writers block over it, my bad guys :c
> 
> Luckily, I know EXACTLY where the story is going now! A few chapters back I was stumbling in the dark as to how to get to this point in the story, but now I'm here. 
> 
> The next two (three, since one is split into two parts) chapters will be holiday themed, and then finally, we get into the good part: prom season. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Comments and kudos mean the world!


	8. Christmas

December, the marching band season was over. 

Championships the band came in second place, the highest they had ever scored, with a 98.8. Phineas couldn’t screaming with joy internally when the score was announced. He, however, remained calm internally as he stepped forward and saluted in true drum major style. He looked up at the stands. 

Ferb was standing and clapping, a smile over his face. Isabella, Buford, and Baljeet were beside him, Isabella cheering loudly. She was wearing Buford’s coat, he had offered it to her when she complained she was cold. 

When they got home, Ferb treated him to the scones he made the other day. It was the sweetest finish to the season. 

And now it was Ferb’s time to shine. 

“You totally need to audition for the musical Ferb,” Phineas said as he shoved his boots on. They were about to go shovel the driveway. “I mean it, you like, have to. Besides, you love musicals! You write reviews for them all the time in the school paper!” Phineas said. 

“Yeah, but I’m not really a performer Phineas. I’m not as extroverted as you,” Ferb said as he looped his scarf over his neck. 

“Come on! What do you have to lose?” Phineas asked, standing and grabbing his hat from the floor of the garage. 

“Truthfully? Not a lot, but I do get stage fright rather easily,” Ferb said. 

“Aw stage fright?” Phineas said, walking over to Ferb and wrapping his arm around his shoulder. “Ferb that’s adorable.”

“Quiet you,” Ferb said. “What would I even sing?” 

“Well you’ve sung a lot of love songs to me,” Phineas said. “Gitchee gitchee goo?”

“Stop, I’m not singing that,” Ferb said with a small laugh. “I’m not a theatre person.” 

“C’mon Ferb, I know you can do it,” Phineas said. Ferb sighed. “ You’re so lucky I love you.”

Phineas smiled, “I win.”

~~~

The day of auditions Ferb was nervous. No, that was an understatement. He was nervous as hell. That whole day, his leg was nervously shaking as he went over his monologue and song in his head. Who was he preforming in front of? 

He took a shaky breath in, casting a glance at the clock. Second period, science class. 

When the ball rang, he felt ready to throw-up. As he stood and gathered his things, he was stopped by his teacher.

“Hey Ferb,” he said. Ferb turned to look at him. “Hello Mr. Doofenshmirtz.” 

“I’ve viewed your recent work on the study of atoms, and it’s on par with some of the recent work I’ve looked at from professors teaching at college levels,” he said. 

“Oh, uh, thanks,” Ferb said. It was a bit awkward talking to him. The daughter of this man had been his first crush, and not that he’d ever tell him that but it was rather weird on his behalf. 

“Anyways, this winter break I’m taking a few students to England to present their work for scholarships. We’d leave a day before winter break and be back by Christmas Eve. Would you be interested?” Mr. Doofenshmirtz asked 

“Uh...I’d have to talk it over with my parents but...yeah I’d be interested.” That part as a lie. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to major in, or where he was even going to go to school. 

“Great, I’ll prepare the paperwork by tomorrow,” Mr. Doofenshmirtz said. 

“Alright, thanks,” Ferb said. 

“Here, let me write you a pass.” 

~~~

Ferb paced in the choir room, feeling the sour feeling peak. “I’m honestly going to throw up,” he said. 

“No you won’t,” Phineas said. “You’re singing to Buford, the choir teacher, and a few of the other teachers. You’ll be fine.”

“Why don’t you try out? You’d be much better at it than me, and you like singing,” Ferb said. 

“Since I’m in pit band,” Phineas said. He rubbed Ferb’s shoulders. “You’ll be fine, you have an amazing voice.”

Ferb took a breath in. The band director walked in. “Ferb Fletcher?” He asked. Ferb’s heart stopped. “Oh bloody hell...”

“You’re fine, now go and make me proud! Imagine it’s me you’re singing to, and no one else,” Phineas said. Ferb took a breath in and walked out of the choir room. 

“Good luck!” He heard Phineas call. 

~~~

He walked onto the stage, casting a glance out at the audience. Phineas had been right. Buford was sitting in the middle, holding a clipboard. That made him feel a little better. 

“Hello!” Miss. K said. “Ferb is it?”

“Y...yeah,” Ferb said. 

“Well, whenever you’re ready. The stage is yours!” She said. Ferb took a breath in. 

~~~

“...Say the word and I’m already there~! Run away with me...” 

He gave a shy grin when they clapped. 

“Very impressive Mr. Fletcher!” Miss. K said. “We’ll be in touch, you may go on your way!”

“Alright...thanks,” Ferb said. He quickly walked off the stage, and upon closing the door, was tackled by a very enthusiastic Phineas. 

“I’m so proud of you! You sounded amazing!” Phineas squealed into his shoulder. 

“You could hear me?” Ferb asked. 

“Dude, the entire school could practically hear you! Your singing is really loud, and really good,” Phineas said. 

“I don’t know,” Ferb said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’d be happy with a chorus part.”

“You were AMAZING!” Phineas said. “I’m so proud of you!”

“Thanks Phin,” Ferb said. “Shall we head home?”

“Mhm!”

~~~

Later that night, he proposed the ‘field trip’ to his parents. 

“It’s for scholarships,” he said. “Would it be okay with you?”

“Of course! You’ll be back before Christmas, won’t you?” His mother asked. 

“Oh yeah, of course. It’s a weekend thing really. Leave Friday night, travel, get their Saturday, go sight-seeing Saturday, do the convention on Sunday, and be home by Monday Tuesdayish, just in time for Christmas Eve,” Ferb said. “Don’t worry Phineas, I’ll be back in time.”

~~~

Christmas Eve, Ferb’s plane had been delayed due to an incoming snow storm. 

Phineas sighed as he sat back, flipping through Ferb’s musical book. He had been selected for call-backs after his audition, and later was casted as the lead of the play. Some would call it bias, as Ferb is one of Buford’s friends, but if anyone said that to Buford directly, Buford would simply say Ferb had talent. 

“Do you know if he’ll be back tomorrow?” Phineas asked, looking up at his parents. 

“We’re figuring that out now,” his mom said, scrolling through plane schedules on her laptop. Phineas looked over at Candace, who was petting the platypus curled up in her lap. She glanced at Phineas. “Don’t worry Phineas, I’m sure would build a plane if he knew for sure he wasn’t getting here by tomorrow.”

Phineas laughed a bit. Yeah, that definitely sounded like something Ferb would do. 

It was nearing midnight, and there was still no update on Ferb’s flight home. Phineas had been texting his step-brother the whole time, waiting for updates of any type. 

‘Will you be home soon?’

‘Still waiting on flight updates, will keep in touch.’

Eventually, he grew tired, and called it a night. He said goodnight to his parents and sister before heading upstairs to his room. Perry followed after. 

He shut the door behind him and crashed onto his bed, his hands running over his eyes and down to the tip of his nose.

Perry jumped up on the bed curling up against Phineas’s pillow. 

Phineas’s phone rumbled. He took it out of his pocket. Ferb was video calling him. He answered quickly, smiling at Ferb. His face looked worn, and he had a thick layer of stubble on his face.

“Hey silly,” Ferb said. 

“Hey Ferb,” Phineas said back. “How are you?”

“Tired, a little ticked off, and tired since all I’ve been drinking is shitty airport tea and I’m five hours ahead of you, but most importantly missing you. How have you been?” Ferb asked.

“Missing you too,” Phineas said. “Do you have any updates?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Ferb said. “I don’t know if I’ll be home by tomorrow, so many flights got cancelled or delayed, we still haven’t gotten word if our flight was cancelled or delayed, so this whole mess could take bloody hours to sort out,” Ferb said. “I’m sorry Phineas.”

“It’s fine,” Phineas said. He was dying on the inside. “It’s totally fine. Is Mr. Doofenshmirtz mad?”

“Oh he was angry as anything, threatened to fire something, I think it was an ‘inator?’ I’m not sure, but he wasn’t too thrilled,” Ferb said. “I get to hear back to see if I got any scholarships in like, April.”

“Oh fun,” Phineas said. He looked away. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too. I’ll be home as soon as I can. You get some sleep, the faster you sleep the closer we get to seeing each other again.”

Phineas smiled at him one last time. “You’re right. Goodnight Ferb, I love you.”

“I love you too, happy Christmas,” Ferb said. 

Phineas smiled. “Merry Christmas.”

Ferb blew him a small kiss and hung up. 

Phineas looked up at the ceiling. He then stood up and went to the window, opening it and looking outside, up at the stars. 

“Hey, Santa? Listen, I know you’re really busy tonight, and you probably can’t hear me. But, um, if any of your elves can hear me, or if you can hear me, I really need a favor here. See, my brother’s stuck in England and he can’t be home in time for Christmas. So, instead of any of the other things, could you maybe get my brother home on time? Please? That’s all I want for Christmas, for Ferb to make home on time. If you could do that, this would be the best Christmas ever. Thanks and merry Christmas.”

Phineas shut the window, heading back to his bed. He grabbed Ferb’s pillow from his bed and crawled into his own, cuddling up to the pillow that still held the smell of Ferb’s cologne. He fell asleep.

~~~

Christmas morning however, he got many wonderful things, but Ferb wasn’t there. Ferb’s gifts laid untouched in the back, waiting for him for when he returned.

Of course, Phineas tried to be bright about it. He smiled, laughed, all of that good stuff, but the emptiness of missing Ferb was still there, and it hurt him. 

Whilst toying with his new toolbox, he heard his mother give a light gasp. 

 

“Oh goodness! Lawrence, your parents! We need to pick up your parents!” His mom said in a dramatic tone.

“Why darling, you’re right! We do need to pick up my parents! Phineas! Candace! Come with us to pick up your grandparents!” His dad called.

“Uh, okay?” Phineas said, slowly standing up. He casted a confused glance to Candace, who in return shrugged. “Why do we all need to go? You usually leave us home.”

“Why it’s Christmas Phineas, think of it as a family activity!” His dad said. Phineas could see his mom trying to contain a laugh.

“Well then, enough waiting around! To the car!” His dad said. 

~~~

Phineas sat beside Candace while his parents checked flight schedules. “Did you know they were coming today?” He asked.

“Nope,” Candace said. She smiled. “But I did know he was coming.”

“Who?”

“Him.”

Phineas looked up and his heart grew wings. He never ran so fast in his life. 

When he collided with Ferb, he sent his step-brother into the ground. He didn’t stop hugging him, tears forming in his eyes. 

“You said you wouldn’t make it! What the, how did this happen?!”

“After you fell asleep, we found a new flight,” Ferb said. “I figured I’d surprise you. Happy Christmas Phineas.” 

“I hate you,” Phineas said. “Merry Christmas to you too.”

Ferb gave a laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM NOT DEAD
> 
> MERRY CHRISTMAS I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER
> 
> Tbh this chapter grew a little stale. Don’t worry, we only have one holiday themed chapter left (the person who guesses it right gets a cookie)
> 
> I hope you like it!

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is! The second installment to the Drown trilogy! I hope you enjoy it! :D


End file.
